Self care book

B. YOUNG

THE SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR GIRLS

Contents

Intro X

Make Up 5

Eyes 9 Prepping 19 Foundation 22 Bronze 24 Blush 25 Lips 26

Self care 33

Face skin care Face masks Body Beautiful Body Treatments Hair Care

34 38 42 44 49

Sun Smart Fitness Eating Right Relaxation Emotional Health Sex Ed

56 60 62 68 72 74

Health care 54

Hey Girls!

S

o we all know that growing up is hard, im sure there is not one girl out there who has gone through adolesence without going through some sort of issue, whether its make up troubles, weight issues, or body care.

Growing up is tricky, not only do we have to go through crazy physical changes, we have to go through boy troubles, family troubles, ohhh the list goes on...

This book isnt straight up and down rule book on how you should live your life, it’s simply just a guide, some helpful hints to assist you through these tough but enjoyable years.

So please girls, read and enjoy :) xoxo

1 Make up

Eyes Everyone has a different and unique eye colour and shape. So some different make up styles that works for some won’t work for others!

Different eye colours will compliment certain make up styles. Depending on the occasion girls have to understand when and what particular style is appropriate, for example during the day you wouldn’t go for a harder edge, dramatic expression and artistic intensity, but for a party the same look could be appropriate. Remember girl’s sometimes LESS IS MORE!

Original

Jewelled Eyes

The ‘Jewelled’ eye is recommended for girls a light olive skin to a darker complexion; this look is for girls who want to frame the eye, and works wonders with a strong false lash. This look can be altered for the catlike eye effect, by adding dark black mascara to the top lash line, with a finish of soft gold highlighter just under the brow.

Step 1: In order for the ultimate effect you have to prep the eyelid, do this by making sure it is powdered well. Then, using a large brush apply a light wash of a soft coral eye shadow along the eye socket, blending all the way up to the brow bone.

Step 2: Using a large brush, cover the whole eyelid with an intense violet colour, stopping just under the brow one, don’t worry, it is normal for the eye shadow to be a bit messy you can clean it up later!

Step 3: Using a smaller brush, intensify the lash line by applying a deeper shade of purple along the upper eyelid. You can also use a deep violet pencil or cream eyeliner to do this, try both and chose whatever you think looks best.

Step 5:Then finish by applying two coats of mascara to the top and bottom lashes.

Step 4: Now its time to clean up the drops of shadow that have fallen under the eye. Lightly base and powder under the eye. (Using a light dust of translucent powder for blending purposes). Then apply an aqua-green pencil to the inner eye rim and shadow to the lower lash line

Classic Eyes Classic eyes speak for themselves. This style is simple, natural, and timeless. This look can be styled for any occasion, weather it be a night out or during the daytime. It allows space for your natural beauty to shine.

Step 1: Prep the eyes and make sure you powder well.

Using a large brush, apply a nude matt eye shadow to the entire eyelid.

Step 2: Then using a thin brush, apply a taupe/ oyster-grey shadow to the whole eyelid, and along the bottom of the lash line Step 3: Apply a black eyeliner pencil to the inner rim of the eye, apply the eyeliner heavier in the outer corner V of the eye – you can use a brush as shown

Step 4: if necessary you may curl the lashes or if not you can just apply plenty of black mascara to both the top and bottom lashes

Lavender Eyes The lavender eye is stunning, and very pretty! It is very casual, but it is so different, the colours used illuminate simplicity yet show elegance and beauty. It is important to know if you have blonde lashes, rather than black use brown mascara. Make sure when applying this style you don’t close your eyes, it stops the shadow from creasing!

Step 1: Using a pure white pencil, apply heavily to the inner eye rim, using a gold eye shadow, apply it to the middle of the eyelid and then carry it right up to the brow bone.

Step 2: Apply a lavender eye shadow from the inner corner of the eye socket, blending up to the eyebrow and along the lower lash line. Make sure you keep the lid golden and don’t carry the lavender far across the upper lid Step 3: Smudge a little black kohl pencil into the top outer corner of the eye. Load up a small brush with dark violet eye shadow and blend it up and out Step 4: In order to strengthen the look, as gold and lavender are such soft colours, you can either chose to use or not use false eyelashes.

Smokey Eyes

A personal Favourite! A lot of girls find this look too harsh, but I believe that is because many people think it is complicated and they try to add too much to such a simple Smokey eye! This look can be subtle and sexy; it keeps the eyes open and fresh whilst still giving that amazing impact. There is no specific eye shape for Smokey eyes, so have fun with it, if you want to add a little more colour just hit the inner corner of your eyelids with a bright lavender, gold or blue Step 1: In order for utmost efStep 6: Then apply an fect you have to prep the eyeaubergine eye shadow all lid and powder lightly, this will the way under the brow, help with the blending. Apply a blending it to soften the Smokey chocolate brown eye black edges shadow under the eye, and try to keep a more rounded rather than sharper shape.

Step 2: Using a large brush, apply a soft wash of the same colour to the whole lid. Apply all the way to the brow bone and out to the edge of the eye Step 7: Clean up under the eye. Apply your founStep 3: Now, you are allowed dation base, to help reto be messy! Get your heavy move the staining. Curl black kohl pencil and apply it your lashes, then if wantto the inner rim of the eye ed you can apply a full and messily above the whole set of false lashes for top lash line. Pulling the line a maximum effect! Or if out slightly. Make sure you Step 4: Mix the black blend the line above the top with the khaki eye shad- not just a lot of mascara lashes. ow and smudge it around will do. To finish this with a splash of cothe whole eye, close lour you can hit the inner to the lash line, use a small rounded brush and corner of the eye with a metallic colour. blend blend blend!

Step 5: Wet the brush and smudge the black/khaki shadow up toward the brown bone, don’t worry if the line isn’t perfect! You will be blending it with another colour.

Unique

Egyptian Eyes

Egyptian eyes are perfect for a subtle, yet sexy night-time look, or indeed perfect for a dress up party! Mahogany is the only colour in the colour wheel that is both cool and warm. That’s why it is suitable for any time of day and with any look.

Step 1: Using a wet brush, apply a mahogany, or deep chocolate-brown eye shadow underneath the eye and all over the top lid, ensuring the intensity is kept in the inner corner. Wetting the brush gives more impact and intensifies the colour.

Step 2: Using a small brush, apply the same shadow under the rim of the eye. Then pull it out slightly to the outer edge of the eye to create smudged eyeliner.

Step 3: Turn your brush upside down and apply the same shadow to the top lid. This will keep the intensity along the lash line, you should apply more shadow to keep it heavier on the outer corner of the top lid Step 4: Apply a bit of loose translucent powder, making sure it matches your skin tone. Curl you lashes and apply a lot of mascara to the top and bottom lashes, make sure you clean up under the eye and apply foundation.

Diva eyes The diva eye, a look with attitude and sass! This look is stunning; it shows confidence and lets your inner diva shine through your eyes. To really impress with this look you should opt for well-defined brows, make sure before you begin your eye prep, you clean up your brows!

Step 1: Prep the eye but do not powder. Wet your brush and apply a rosygold colour over the whole lid. Then over that apply a strong copper colour over the lid but not as high up as the initial colour. This should blend the two colours nicely. And make sure you don’t look up for 1 minute to avoid that awful creasing!

Step 3: Using a wet brush, apply a black colour to the outer corner of the eye and smudge, this will create depth and drama and is perfect for small or closely set eyes.

Step 2: Apply creamy black eyeliner to the inner lash rim and along one one third of the top lash line. Make sure this is smudged into the lash line, so there are no skin coloured gaps!

Don’t worry if it looks very heavy at this stage, this depth will help with your eye shape!

Step 4: Apply an antique gold shadow heavily to the inner corner V of the eye, and smack bang in the middle of the eyelid. Also apply on the brow bone just under the eyebrow

Step 5: Define the brows, Curl the lashes and apply PLENTY of black mascara to the top and bottom lashes, Use a very strong false eyelash with eyelash glue for the ultimate diva effect.

Rock Chick eyes Rock chick eyes can be very difficult to achieve without making a bit of a mess! So girls get your best cleaning wipes ready, because the black fallout is very hard to remove. A good tip is to use Sorbolene, or a water-based moisturizer to prevent staining. And believe it or not for once clumpy mascara actually works with this look so don’t be scared! You should also use a high-shine luminescent foundation for the face, and a translucent powder for under the eye, just below the black. Make sure you use jet-black mascara, otherwise it will look dirty!

Step 1: Apply an intense black kohl pencil to the inner rim and cover the entire eyelid, for the best effect, use your finger to smudge. When lining with this look you must smudge the pencil into and just below the lash line.

Step 3: Now, this is important!

Make sure to prevent staining, dab some Sorbolene cream under the eye to make removing make up easier. Using a smaller brush, apply a dark metallic midnight-blue colour to blend the black and lift the shape higher to just under the brow done.

Step 2: Chose a translucent powder that matches your skin tone, apply it to the rest of your eye socket up to the brow bone, this will enable blending perfection

Step 4: Apply the metallic midnight-blue colour to the inner corner of the eye and underneath the lower lash line. Finish by applying lots and lots of black mascara to the top and bottom lashes. DON’T BE SHY!

Exotic eyes To perfect the exotic eye, you have to make sure you match the look with prominent brows, with perfected brows it really shows the strong, unique look. Exotic eyes work for any look, they add a bit of spice and fun to any outfit. Girls don’t take it too seriously, remember have fun with it!

Step 1: Firstly, like always begin with prepping the eyes. Using a medium brush, apply a bright mustard-yellowish eye shadow to the whole lid. Take the yellow softly up to the brow bone.

Step 3: Using a wet small brush, apply black eye shadow to the outer corner of the eye and make a rectangle shape by pulling out the black, then soften the edges

Step 2: Using a medium round brush, apply a mahogany shadow along the entire socket line to the edge of the eye, reapply the mustard yellow over this and use to blend with the mahogany.

Step 4: Apply strong turquoise eyeliner to the inner rim of the eye.

Define the brows, and if wanted you can apply a full set of false lashes or simply apply black mascara to both top and bottom lashes.

Face

FACE Skin Prepping The term skin prepping basically means the process of preparing your skin for make up application. To do this you should know what your skincare regime is. Check your skin to determine its state and see what skin issues can be addressed immediately to ensure a flawless makeup application. This would entail cleansing the skin, applying a toner, moisturizing the skin & then the lips. However, this isn’t a job that should wait for your ‘facialist’ or make up artist. These basic steps must be part of your daily routine and should be done at least twice a day.

All products you use must suit your skin type. Read the following categories and see which type you fall under: Normal: If you have this kind of skin, you are lucky. It means your skin is in good condition. You have a sufficient supply of hydration and have little or no blemishes Oily: The second layer of the skin produces a lot of oil. Prior to makeup application, after prepping the skin; moisturizing remains key, a mattifying lotion can be used to prevent oily patches from breaking through.

Combination: Most skin types fall here; the T-zone, which is the area covering the forehead and the nose is oilier than the rest of the face Dry: The term “dry” is self-explanatory.

Remember, if you have an uneven skin texture to start with you’ll have an uneven makeup to finish with, so PLEASE make sure you take note of these step-by-step techniques, your glowing skin will be so grateful!

Step-by-step Skin Prep In order to understand your canvas aka your face, you need to know if you’re using a water or oil-based foundation/moisturiser. This is important to know because if you’re using an oil-based moisturizer it won’t mix with a water-based foundation, and visa versa. So firstly make sure that your products, and ALL of them are either water based or oil based.

Step 1 Cleanse your skin with a pH-balanced product, its important that you use nothing that leaves a film. Cleansing will remove the dirt from your skin

Step 2 Use a toner, I don’t always use

them, but they do come in handy when you just need to remove excess oil, or if you’re going out and there is no time to wash your face, just load up cotton pads and go for it. They will cleanse the skin, but you have to make sure that your toner doesn’t leave a residue, as it will affect your make up. Toning will ensure that all excess residues are removed and it will also restore your skin’s PH level and minimize your pores

Step 3 Moisturise or use a primer, but remember,

you don’t need both. If you decide to pile on two or three layers of cream, your make up will slide.

DON’T moisturise your eyelids and make sure that at least one of your products contains sunscreen.

Moisturize to hydrate your skin and do not forget your lips, they don’t produce oil themselves!

Step-by-step Eye Prep Most girls don’t realise that our eyelids are actually one of the oiliest parts of the face! Trust me, right now wipe your eyelids… see I told you so!

Oil is the number one eye shadow murderer, so before applying eye shadow, ALL oil must be removed. After following this small tips you will see the difference in the way your makeup lasts on your ‘prepped’ eye.

Step 1 Cleanse your lids with a water-

based cleanser. You can also use alcohol and perfume free baby wipes, make sure you don’t moisturize your lids after woods.

Step 2 Many people wonder if you are

allowed to apply foundation to your eyelids, and yes you can. Our eyelids if you look closely have blue and red tones. No one wants to see these conflicting colours when applying make up, so applying foundation allows a clean neutral canvas, allowing your eye shadows true colour to shine.

Step 3 Lightly powder the eyelids with a translucent powder; you can do this with a cotton pad. Powder will go cakey if you have too much oil or moisturiser on your lids. Which is a BIG NO NO!

Foundation The Facts Foundation, now it is easy to get sucked in to the promises and claims of different foundations on the market but please STAY AWAY! Or at least block your ears and find out for yourself. Foundations can go from dark skins to anaemic pale shades offering everything from ‘light-reflecting’ to ‘oil-controlling’ and so on… It is easy to get roped up in a department store, with different brands, looks, and styles so please before you step foot in another makeup store, read this for your own sake!

Foundation types available Liquid based – For all skin types (they can be oil or water-based –make sure you check) Grease based – For dry of scarred skin Oil based – For dry skin or used for the effect of high-shine Water based – Great for sheer coverage and all skin types (perfect for hormonal, oily or blemished skin) Foundation textures Matt This texture is very French. The skin has no shine and the powder is visible Velvety When the skin is semi-matt and the powder you use has a velvety sheen so it gives the skin a beautiful satin/velvet finish. This can be followed by the application of translucent powder High-shine This is achieved with an oil-based foundation used on skin that is heavily primed, allowing the skins natural oils to come through. No powder is used.

Sometimes Vaseline or lanolin is used to accentuate the shine. This is generally used for magazine shoots.

Luminous When a shiny pigment or shimmery liquid has been added to the foundation to give it a pearlised, glimmering look. The skin can have a slightly metallic reflection.

When Buying Foundation…

Remember to never, ever match your foundation to your jaw line. You neck is the palest part of your body. You should always match your foundation to your chest area because your face and body must be the same colour. Also when your body tans (Fake or Real) you MUST darken your foundation to match.

Applying Foundation Step 1 Firstly, you have to use moisturizing lotion, this is one of the very important things that make your foundation stay on longer. It prepares your skin for the upcoming make-up.

Step 2 In order for foundation to

last longer, a trick that is helpful is to massage the face. Just apply the lotion by massaging it into the skin. This way you improve blood circulation, which is very important not just for foundation but also other make-up. It also improves the natural look of your skin.

Step 4 Next, apply the foundation

with wet sponge. Make no long left or right motions, rather fast short motions. Apply the foundation with a wet sponge, press on your skin, do just little motion to either left or right, release, press again.

Step 3 Begin applying it on your

forehead and move towards your neck. Try not to miss out important parts of your face and don’t forget the spots behind your ears, these are visible too.

Step 5 Don’t forget to apply founda-

tion on your eyelids. I don’t know why girls are surprised when I start applying foundation on their eyelids.

This is important because eye shadows stay on longer, and it’s just logical to apply it there.

Step 6 When you get to your neck,

stop applying foundation on your wet sponge. You already have enough material on it. Now just make downward motions from your chin, down towards your body. You just need to make sure there is no line visible here. PLEASE GIRLS! No line on your neck, please!

It seems like everyone knows that there should be no line, but still I see so many girls that have this line visible.

It ruins everything!

To get the most out of your product, instead of squeezing it onto the back of your hand squeeze the product onto your palms. Take two fingers and mix the product in – the heat from your fingers will make the foundation more spreadable for a flawless finish, and you use less product. If, like me, you are a beast and like to slap on your makeup, rub the makeup gently between your palms and spread it all over your face. This also uses such a small amount of product it’s unbelievable – your products would last much longer!

Bronzing Looking suntanned means different things to different cultures. In the West, it means we can afford holidays, we have the time and money to travel overseas to an exotic island to soak up the sun. In the East, it means the opposite, working on the fields to work and provide for yourself and your family. Some places it was frowned upon, in Asia you will find the cosmetic counters filled with whitening products. To bronze means to look like you’ve had a holiday, you have a nice healthy glow.

We have to understand that the skin never tans evenly, which means that there will be areas that are darker than others.

Step 1 Using a fibreoptic brush, use a liquid foundation three shades darker than your face colour, so it matches your body colour. Then set this with a translucent powder, and lightly contour your cheeks and hairline with a matt bronze powder.

Step 2 Using a kabuki

brush, apply blush then add a gold shimmer powder as an extra highlight to the top of your cheekbones. Lift the bronze high on your cheekbones and softly blend up your temples, use the same colour and apply a soft wash to your eye socket area.

Step 3 Using the same

foundation colour that you used, mix it with a little moisturiser and apply it to your body.

You can also use a soft wash of bronzer under your bottom lash line, and then finish by applying lip-gloss and defining your brows.

Blush Blush is the best product to bring a youthful glow to the skin, if it is used incorrectly; it is also the best product to make you look like a clown at a fancy dress party! Blush comes in different forms such as creams and powders. They all do the same, so it is all up to you to chose.

There is a simple rule with blush, you can only use a cream blush on a creamy skin that hasn’t been powdered, and you can only use a powdered blush on powdered skin.

Make sure when you apply blush you NEVER EVER smile! It ages you instantly. So it is important when you apply blush you relax your face. Cheek colour needs to be high and closer to your eyes than your mouth, too get that sun kissed glow.

Step 1 Prepare

After applying foundation, concealer, eye and brow makeup, and loose powder, familiarize yourself with your facial structure. Using your fingertips, press over, under and along your cheekbones to determine the areas you will need to contour, color and highlight.

Step 3 Cheek color

To emphasize the apple of the cheek and cheekbone, add a flush of powder blush! Select a color that complements your skin tone.

Peach and beige browns look great on blondes, while pink and plum tones work well on brunettes and redheads. Using a soft, round blush brush, apply blush to the apple of the cheek, which is the part of the cheek that protrudes most when you smile and on the cheekbone right up to the temple. Blend the color in an up-and-down motion over the cheekbone, and girls no obvious lines please!

Step 2 Contour

The aim of contouring is to define the “hollow of the cheek”. Select a matte, natural brown blush or bronzing powder that is two or three shades darker than your skin tone. Take a small amount of the powder on an angled blush brush and tap off any excess on the back of your hand. Begin near the ear and follow the natural curve of your cheek until you reach the point, which lines up with the outer corner of your eye. Build the color gradually and blend well using a series of upward and downward strokes.

Step 4 Highlight

To make your facial structure more pronounced, apply a light-reflecting powder, cream or fluid to the top of the cheekbone, just under the outer eye socket. Choose a shimmering highlighter with white or silver pigments for unearthly radiance, or one with gold undertones for subtle warmth. Don’t want sparkle or shimmer? Use a matte highlighting powder.

lips

LIPS A lot of girls already know how to play up your lips, make them bigger, smaller, glossier etc… so im going to let you know how to achieve amazing lips.

Finding the right shade...

It is important to figure out the right shade for you! Every one is different so it is important you know what suits you best. Try out different colours such as a fuchsia pink, tangerine orange, or wine shades such as a mahogany or plum. Depending on where you are going, what the occasion is, your age etc… will determine your preferred colour. You have to make sure you match what your wearing with your lipstick too, they must compliment each other. For example if you pick pink you should opt for the cool, blue undertones, cool reds, pinkish nudes and shades. All cool-coloured lip shades such as cool reds, all pinks and wine colours, will make your teeth look whiter, whereas all brown shades can make your teeth slightly yellow… ill leave that up to you!

Another rule is to make sure if your lips are natural lined, try not to overuse lip gloss, if you do this your lips wont just bleed, but they will haemorrhage! Go for velvety or more matt-textured lipsticks instead. And please NEVER use too much lip-gloss, don’t want too look like your drooling!

A lot of girls use foundation, as a lipstick shade to create that nude effect, DON’T FALL INTO THIS TRAP! If you put this under lipstick, you will end up with a white cakey line all around your lips because they don’t blend together, just buy a nude lipstick and save yourself.

Luscious Lip Secrets - If you want to make lipstick last longer, use lip gloss more in winter, and sticks and stains in summer - Most of us when we do our make up, leave our lips for last, so before you start your make up, put some lanolin cream on your lips, so when you come around to them your lips are nice and moisturised - To create a fuller lip, first apply a highlight colour to the cupids bow then apply your lipstick - You can make your bottom lip look filler by lightly shading just under your lip with a shading colour

How to achieve full lips...

Step 2 Using a shimmer powder,

Step 1 lightly exfoliate your lips and apply lip balm. Apply foundation then lightly powder around the lip line

highlight the top of the lips also known as the cupids bow; this will give you a fuller lip. Using the same highlighter pigment, highlight the middle of the bottom lip, this will create roundness and a fuller bottom lip

Step 3 Now, you can stop here

Step 4 You can apply a shimmer

and leave your lips as is for a more matt finish, or you can apply clear gloss, use a suitable colour and use a brush that is larger than normal, and use the side of the brush to create a sharp line.

powder to the middle of the bottom lip, to flatter the lips and make them look more full, or you can use a gold lip gloss, then apply a clear lip gloss, but do not use the gloss on the outer corners.

Luscious Lips Step 1 Prep the lips by exfoliat-

ing and moistening. Follow the tips before for exfoliation techniques.

Apply a lip balm and remove after 5 minutes. Make sure the lips aren’t too wet; apply a gold pigment to the cupid’s bow of the lip

Step 3 Apply a purple pigment to

the top inner lip, and lightly to the bottom lip

Step 2 Using a bright fuch-

sia pigment on a brush, apply to lips. Because we are using an eye shadow don’t lick your lips.

Step 4 Finish by applying a gold pigment to the lower lip, and apply gloss.

Natural Lips Step 1Firstly, Prep the lips by

exfoliating and moistening. Follow the tips before for exfoliation techniques. Apply a lip balm and remove after 5 minutes

Step 3 Before applying anything

on the lips, put on powder on the lips. This will serve as the base and make anything you put on the lips to stay on longer.

Start out on the bottom lip and just draw the line a little bit underneath her natural lip line.

Step 2 Use a neutral pinky

nude color for the lip liner, or something that’s almost skin tone or lighter than skin tone, just to accentuate the lips and not to add any color.

Step 4 To finish off the look,

add a pink lip-gloss. It is recommended to use a very sheer, almost baby pink. Blend the gloss with lip liner to remove any harsh lines. This will make everything look natural.

Baby doll

Step 1 Firstly, Prep the lips

by exfoliating and moistening.

Follow the tips before for exfoliation techniques. Apply a lip balm and remove after 5 minu

Step 2 You use a nude con-

cealer over the top and bottom of your lips and then using a powder, lightly brush your whole lip, if you have clumps remove and start again.

Step 3 Then take a lip pencil of

your choice, but for this look it would generally be a bright or dark color. Then draw either free hand, if your good at it, or you can buy stencils and draw in the new, smaller, heart shape.

Then fill it in and your done.

2 Self Care

SKIN

Face Skin Care Our face receives plenty of exposure. In fact, our face probably gets more show time than any other part of your body. Harmful UV rays, environmental pollutants, weather exposure and the general wear and tear destroy the skin on this very delicate area of the body. It seems that acne-prone skin just comes with the territory for us girls. Many of us try to remove oil and acne by scrubbing our skin, but scrubbing too often will actually over-stimulate the oil glands which will just make acne and oil production worse. And I know everyone says it but its true! Remember harsh scrubbing and popping zits will leave you with scars from your acne. A little hint to help soothe painful acne is to apply a homemade treatment. Just apply egg yolk to your face for ten minutes, I know it sounds gross and smelly but don’t worry you do wash it off. Also if you have bad acne try to keep makeup light, especially heavy foundations on a daily. We tend to think foundation helps to hide zits, but the truth is that it only clogs the pores and causes more breakouts. Adopting a proper skin care routine when we are young will make us look better, and it will also help you maintain healthy skin as you age. So in order for us to put our best face forward, start with a healthy facial skin care regiment. Pampering our skin doesn’t need to take a lot of time, but in order to have glowing and healthy skin make sure you spend a bit of time caring for your skin.

Firstly you should figure out what skin type you have: Normal - Skin is velvety, with small pores, and no visible acne.

Oily - Skin has enlarged pores with shiny patches.

Frequent breakouts may occur on the face, back, arms, and possibly the chest.

Dry - Skin has very small, invisible pores with possible dry and itchy patches. The cheeks, arms, legs, chest, and belly may be particularly dry.

Combination- Skin is dry across the cheeks and oily on the forehead, chin, and nose. Arms may be dry and back may be oily.

Sensitive- Skin is either oily or dry with irritated and itchy patches. Skin may also be blotchy and reddened with frequent breakouts.

Step 1: Cleansing

Step 2: Exfoliating

For the face, any type of soap works fine to remove dirt, but to remove make-up. Instead, choose a facial cleansing agent in cream, water-based blend, lotion, or gel form that’s made for your particular skin type. There are many different products on the market so you may want to try a few brands before you settle down on one that works best for you. Those with drier skin may want to choose cream or lotion products; those with oilier skin may want to use gel or water-based products.

First, splash your face with warm water to open the pores. Apply your cleansing product to the skin in gentle upward strokes, rinsing with warm water. If you use a product that must be applied with cotton balls or a cleansing towel, again, use gentle upFirstly moisten your face with water ward strokes and rinse thoroughly with before exfoliating, apply an exfoliatwarm water. Finish with a splash or ing cleanser to a loofah, exfoliattwo of cold water to close the pores. ing gloves or a synthetic scrubbing sponge designed for the face. Rub your face with the loofah or sponge using circular motions. Avoid scrubbing under the eyes, because the skin there is thin and easily damaged by harsh cleansers and exfoliating sponges. Then rinse thoroughly with tepid water. Hot water is harsh on skin, especially delicate face skin. You can try an exfoliating mask. Make one by mashing up a papaya and smearing it on your face. The enzymes help exfoliate the skin. Rinse off thoroughly after 15 minutes.

Step 3: Toner

Step 4: Moisturise

Follow-up your cleansing routine with a facial toner, which removes any residual greasiness still left on the skin from your makeup or your cleansing product. It also closes the pores, stimulates circulation, and gives the skin a porcelain-like quality. There are a variety of toners on the market so try to choose one that’s formulated for your skin type. Apply the toner with a cotton ball, using the same gentle, upward strokes that you used to apply your cleanser.

Only those with very oily skin need to use a toner on the body. If you have oily skin and breakouts on areas of your body, try using a toner formulated for use on the body.

Otherwise, skip to moisturizing.

All skin types, even oily skin, need a moisturizer everyday. But like toners and cleansers, there are different types of moisturizers for different types of skin.

If you have dry skin you should choose a moisturizer containing oil, if you have oily skin you should choose water-based or oil-free creams.

Many moisturizing creams contain fruit and milk based acids that help to remove the dull layer of surface skin and expose fresh skin below. These acids can reduce the appearance of pores and fine wrinkles. If you have sensitive skin, you should avoid these products since they can cause breakouts. If you have sensitive skin you should look for hypoallergenic products, which are usually free of perfumes and dyes that can irritate your skin. If you go out in the sun daily, it’s a good idea to choose a moisturizer containing a sunscreen.

The moisturizer should be applied to the face in upward strokes. Apply to the body in gentle strokes, applying the most moisturizer to your belly, chest, calves, thighs, and forearms.

Home made Facial Masks Why pay for a facemask when you can use basic ingredients found around the house to make your own simple, hydrating facemasks and scrubs? If you have oily or acne-prone skin, mud or clay-based masks are great for balancing out your skin. Dry skin will benefit from hydrating masks made from glycerin, honey and oils. Ginseng or green tea masks are great for soothing sensitive skin. Scrubs are great for getting rid of the dead skin.

Try one prior to applying a facemask. There are different masks you can use/make for different skin types!

For All Skin Types Egg whites and Yoghurt Mask - This facemask, can be smelly, but it is simple, moisturizing and soothing.

Ingredients: 2 egg whites, separated from the yolk and placed in a bowl 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt (I like Greek yogurt) Preparation: Separate the egg whites from a couple eggs and place them in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of yogurt, do not use flavored yogurt!

Mix them up and apply to face. Leave on face for a few minutes then rinse face in warm water, followed by a warm washcloth Oatmeal and Yoghurt Face Masks This facemask is suitable for all skin types and is super simple to prepare. It will cleanse and rejuvenate your skin.

Ingredients: • 1 tbsp oatmeal, finely ground • 1 tbsp live, organic yogurt (skip the flavored stuff) • A few drops of honey Preparation: Add the yogurt to the oatmeal in a small bowl and mix together. Warm a few drop of honey. To do this, warm a spoon under hot water for a minute, and add a few drops of honey to the spoon. Stir the honey into the yogurt and oatmeal mixture. Apply the mask to the face.

Leave it on for 10 minutes, and then rinse off with warm water. Follow with a warm washcloth.

Apply moisturizer

Oily, Acne-Prone Skin Banana Mask for Oily Skin - This is a soothingfacemask and great if you have bananas around the house.

Ingredients: • 1 banana, preferably ripe (you can keep ripe bananas in the freezer. Let it thaw before using) • 1 tbsp honey • An orange or a lemon Preparation: Mix the banana and honey together, add a few drops of juice from an orange or a lemon. Apply to face for 15 minutes before rinsing with a cool washcloth or a steaming warm washcloth Homemade juice mask for oily skin - Strawberry and lemon juice contain natural astringents.

Note: Recipe works for two people, so invite a friend, or cut recipe in half for just you.

Ingredients: • 1 tsp lemon juice • 2 egg whites • 3 tsp honey • 1 cup strawberries • Optional: 4 drops of your favorite essential oils Preparation: Mash or blend the above ingredients. Smooth over face. Let it stay for 10 minutes. Rinse.

Dry, Chapped Skin

Milk Mask for Dry Skin Ingredients: • 1 tsp powdered milk • 1 tbsp runny honey • 1 tsp Aloe Vera gel • 2 drops essential oil Preparation: Mix ingredients well, apply to face, let sit for 15 minutes, wash off with warm water. This recipe is enough for two.

Brown Sugar Scrub for the Face - Brown sugar is a wonderful natural exfoliate that works for all skin types.

Ingredients: • 1 tablespoon brown sugar • 1 tsp (more or less, add drops if you need them) of olive oil or extra virgin coconut oil Preparation: Put the brown sugar in your palm, add the olive or coconut oil, and stir in your palm with your finger, creating a paste.

Add or less as needed, massage into skin in a circular motion, rinse off with warm water, press a warm washcloth into face. Slather your skin in your favorite moisturizer or follow with a moisturizing mask

body beautiful

General Body Care Step 2.

Exfoliation

Step 1.

Body Brush Choose a body brush that you can use on dry or wet skin. Chose a brush to exfoliate the skin that has a mixture of long and short bristles for exfoliating different areas of the body. The longer bristles offer a gentler exfoliation for more tender areas. Use in the bath or shower soap or body wash.

Start at the feet, use long sweeping motions towards the heart.

Best use on dry skin before showering. The soft fiber will stimulate Take a scoop of an exfoliate and work circulation and exfoliate dead skin from the top of your body down, starting cells, leaving the skin soft, smooth with the shoulders. Make sure you never and glowing. Vigorous massage will use a body exfoliate on your face, Opt for grainy types of cleansers to clean the help eliminate cellulite and other skin, rather than soap. Choose exfoliating toxins below the skin. cleansers that contain ingredients such as oatmeal, ground almonds or even sea salt.

The grainy texture exfoliates the skin. Apply the exfoliate to your skin and gently rub in circular motions to buff off dead skin cells. Pay close attention to your elbows, knees, heals or anywhere that has thicker dry skin. You can get an exfoliating tool or file to help with these areas, or Rub rough spots, such as heels, with a pumice stone. Continue rubbing in circular motions until you have exfoliated your entire body. Rinse product completely off.

Step 3.

Moisturise Apply lotion containing alpha or beta hydroxy acids after you exfoliate. This will continue the exfoliating process because the acids further remove dead skin cells. Be sure to use body moisturizers at least once every day. Regular exfoliating is extremely drying to the skin and will do more harm than good unless the skin is rehydrated liberally with lotions.

Body Treatments Body oils Vs. Lotion Both body lotion and body oils are effective for treating dry skin. Your choice depends on how dry your skin, as well as what you prefer regarding textures and the desired look you hope to achieve, the choice is completely up to you and your skin.

The Facts

Body oil prevents the water in your skin from evaporating. It is a natural lipid barrier. On the other hand, lotions and creams are made of oils that are combined with water and are therefore considered emulsions.

Lotion Pros If you have extremely dry skin, use a lotion because it is soothing and penetrates your skin quickly and easily. However, because lotions are absorbed so quickly you will not get that silky, shiny look on your skin that oils provide. Lotions are generally non-greasy and lightweight because they are a mixture of oil and water.

Lotions are good for use on hairy areas of the body.

Benefits of Oil A product such as virgin coconut oil has not been stripped of its antioxidant properties, which is what you want, because it is unrefined. This type of oil is good for fighting free radicals, such as smoke and pollution, which damage and dry the skin.

When your skin is constantly harmed by these ‘free radicals’ you can receive permanent damage to the connective tissues that give skin its firmness. When the tissues are harmed, skin begins to sag and wrinkle, and we don’t want that do we?

Exfoliating scrubs

Why use an exfoliating scrub?

Whether you adore the scents of fruit, nuts, sweet sugar or sour citrus, there is an exfoliating body scrub perfect for you! Many of us don’t take the time to use them, but they are so good for your skin! Did you know that 90% of the dust in your home is dead skin cells!

YUCK! If that doesn’t make you exfoliate, I don’t know what will…

We all want amazing, smooth soft skin throughout the year but especially in the months were we are showing a little more skin, like summer. Our bodies are covered in a layers and layers of dead skin cells. When we moisturise, the lotion that we put on our skin has to work its way through layers of dead skin cells just to reach the top layer. No matter how much body moisturiser we put on the dead skin cells, they still remain dead skin cells.

If you want healthy smooth skin, you have to rid of them, and there is no better way to do that than with a body exfoliate. I recommend using an actual body exfoliate. Try to use hot salt scrubs once or twice a week.

Gently rub it all over your body in a circular motion and rinse off. Make sure you moisturize immediately after you dry off.

Pumice Stone?

One of my personal favourites…The Pumice stone! This natural stone is perfect for anyone with cracked or dry feet. Pumice is frothy lava that has hardened into a porous rock. The natural texture of these stones makes them work like sandpaper, which means they are perfect for buffing away dry skin. Pumice stones are handy for any area of skin that needs some heavy exfoliating. Make sure you always check that the pumice stone is meant to be used for beauty, because harsher pumice can also be used for cleaning household objects, such as the toilet.. And we wouldn’t want to be using that on our skin!

How to Use a Pumice Stone?

To use pumice stone properly, start with clean skin that has been softened by soaking in warm water.

Pumice stones can be used on wet or dry skin, but it tends to work best on wet skin. Use a soft, circular motion to gently buff away the dry skin. Rinse the area to remove the dead skin once you’re finished. Apply a little lotion to help hydrate the area. Never apply heavy pressure to the pumice, or you’ll end up buffing away healthy skin as well as dead!

Hair removal There are three common ways girls use when removing hair, no matter where the hair is, all types of hair removal techniques can be used, it is all up to the person removing the hair to make the decision of which technique they would prefer to use, but in order to make the right choice you have to know the pros and cons of each method so read up girls, cause this is important!

Shaving

Waxing

Shaving is the most common method of hair removal because it merely cuts the hair off at the skin surface.

Shaving does not make the hair grow back thicker, darker, or grow faster or slower. However, the re growth is more noticeable as it grows out, as it has a blunt tip instead of the normal tip. Shaving should be done after applying some type of moisturizer to the skin to help the razor glide over the skin, not cut or scrape it. Common moisturizers include water, shaving cream, hair conditioner, or body wash. Step 3. Massage cuticles with small amount of cuticle cream.

Waxing is an effective and common way of removing large amounts of hair at one time. In this method wax is heated so it can spread easily over the skin in the direction of hair growth. The wax is then quickly pulled off in the opposite direction of the hair growth, pulling the hairs out of the follicles.

Cold waxes are also available usually attached to strips, which are patted onto the skin. Wax that is still left on the skin must be peeled or scratched off. You have to be careful when heated wax is used so you don’t burn the skin.

Laser treatment Laser treatment is a growing sensation where various skin conditions have blossomed. Hair removal is a common application of laser technology, but it is not permanent and not for everyone. Most lasers used for hair removal target melanin and are therefore designed to burn structures that contain melanin. The more melanin, the more damage. Laser treatments for hair removal must be repeated. At this time it appears that laser treatment, while not causing permanent destruction of all hair follicles, does hinder the re growth of new hair, this is less common for younger girls as it can end up being very expensive.

Magical Manicure Step 1. Start with clean hands and nails and remove dead skin and surface gunk from the nail with a cuticle stick, by rubbing the straight edge over the nail and pushing the cuticles back.

Finish by wiping the nail with polish remover.

Step 2. Shorten and shape nails with a good quality nail file. Remember to file in one direction only. Avoid using a back and forth.

A sharp, fine grit file will shape the nail quickly without having to see-saw.

Step 6. Treat ridging if necessary. Ridge filler contains natural silk to fill in ridges and applied under nail lacquer give nails a smoother appearance. To help strengthen your nails apply nail strengtheners.

Step 7. Apply a quality base coat — this will give your nail lacquer extra staying power. Base coats also help stop the nail from staining.

Staining will depend on how absorbent the nail is. If you do experience staining, soak nails in a solution of freshly squeezed lemon juice for a few minutes.

Step 3. Massage cuticles with small amount Step 8. Apply your nail of cuticle cream. colour.Lacquer application should Step 4. Apply a drop always consist of of cuticle oil to each two coats, the first finger, to nails and for coverage, the cuticles, and massage second for colour. gently. Use every day Don’t overload the for softer, smoother brush and try to cuticles. apply each coat Step 5. Buff and polish. Buffing gives in three even strokes. the nail a nice pink, healthy glow, nourStep 9. Finish by applying a topcoat. ishes nails and stimulates healthy growth by increasing circulation of the Topcoats can make your nails look super glossy, and extend the life of nail bed, massaging cuticle treatment your nail lacquer by up to a week. oils into nails does the same thing.

Buffing should only be done once a week as excessive use can reduce the strength and thickness of the nails.

Perfect Pedicure Step 1 Prepare -

Start by soaking your feet in a warm bath with a softening foot soak for 10 minutes, the more supple your feet are, the easier it is to work with them.

Step 3 Care - Gently push back

the cuticle using an orange stick to remove any excess skin from the nail bed, and don’t ever be tempted to cut your cuticles as they stop bacteria and other nasties from infecting your nails.

The more you cut your cuticle, the more it will grow back, so let cuticle creams do the work.

Massaging in a cuticle cream or oil will stimulate nail growth and enhance its quality.

Step 2 Shape - Use a fine-grained em-

ery board rather than a metal file as they can be too damaging. File the toenail across the toe with a flat edge, and then narrow the corners into a slightly rounded shape to avoid the toenail becoming ingrown as it grows back. Only file in one direction to avoid weakening the nail, if your nails are strong, give them a gentle buff to smooth any ridges and to help the nail plate absorb nourishing creams more easily. But go lightly, as excessive buffing will thin your nails.

Step 4 Condition - To reduce dead skin buildup on your feet, massage them regularly with an exfoliating scrub. For more stubborn areas, like the balls and heels, use a pumice stone, see above how to use a pumice stone for best results.

Wrap a little bit of damp cotton wool around the end of a cuticle stick and use it to clean under your nails. Finish with a foot massage using a rich moisturising cream or lotion to smooth and hydrate your feet.

Step 5 Strengthen - Before apply- Step 6 Polish - Chose your colour of ing your nail polish wipe away any excess oils on your nails with a polish remover and create space between your toes with a toe separator. Always begin by applying a strengthening base coat to prevent the pigment of the polish staining the nail and to help the polish last longer.

choice, and make sure it isn’t gluggy as it will be very difficult to apply it evenly, a little tip, if your nail polish is a bit thick, is to add some nail polish remover to your polish to thin it out a bit. Apply your first coat of colour thinly and then go a little thicker with the second. This allows you to fill in any gaps you might have missed on the first coat.

Hair Styles to suit you!

The key to any superstar look is to make sure you have the right cut. The secret to the perfect hairstyle understands your face shape. Make sure you consider the shape of your face and your own unique personal style.

Play up your features‌

As much as we wish it were possible, noone’s face is symmetrical, in order to have fabulous hair, we must understand the beauty in asymmetry.

Remember girls flaunt your assets and minimise your flaws

The right way to wash your hair So a lot of us girls think, how can I be washing my hair wrong? It seems impossible, however, we might be washing our hair the wrong way and this can contribute to its damage without actually knowing it. So, what is the right way of washing the hair? Follow these simple steps and see the difference...

Step 1

The first thing you should do is comb the tangles out of your hair before you wet it, this is so the hair will wash easily and the tangles will not worsen.

Step 3

Step 2

Wet your hair thoroughly under the shower. You can use either warm or cold water if you like, but for best results, you can wet your hair with warm water to open the cuticles of the hair and wash all the oil and dirt off. And then, you can rinse your hair with cold water afterwards to close the cuticles and add to the shine of your hair.

Rinse your hair under the shower to remove the leave-on conditioner and styling aids you have used previously, using gentle strokes of your fingertips. Then, pour a dollop of Shampoo in the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together, and then apply the shampoo to your scalp. Take note that you should put the shampoo on your scalp and not at the ends of your hair, as the shampoo would dry your hair’s ends and cause it to weaken and split. Also, do not mix your hair all over your head as you shampoo because it will get all tangled up. After this, rinse the shampoo off.

Step 5

Step 4

More often than not, we need to shampoo our hair for a second time.

The purpose of the first shampoo is to clean the oil and dirt off, and the second shampoo is to let the shampoo treat our hair. So, repeat the process, but let the shampoo sit on for around a couple of minutes.

Rinse the hair completely after this.

To get the excess water off your hair, just squeeze the water out. Do not pull or tug at the hair because the hair is at its most delicate when it is soaked. When the excess water is out, apply a dollop of conditioner and apply it along the hairline, and the ends of the hair. Pile your hair then inside a shower cap and let the conditioner stay there for around 5 minutes. And then, rinse it off completely.

Hair Care tips and tricks

“There is something you must always remember, you are braver than you believe, strgoner than you seem, and smarter than you think�

- Winnie the Pooh

3 Health Care

Save Your Skin

Sun Smart – The skin saver Whether it is summer or winter the sun is always around and always affecting us. Don’t feel the burn on the beach this summer, reduce your risk of sun damage and keep your skin safe!

Defence Force…Not all sunscreens

are created equal, find one perfect for you!

If your always on the go… you should look for a lighter lotion that is sweat resistant If your outdoors all day… make sure you use a higher SPF, and use it daily If your into water sports… Opt for a water-resistant sunscreen and remember too reapply after two hours If you’re camping… You should look for ones that contain insect repellent If you have sensitive skin… You should try look for ones that are specifically for sensitive skin, if your skin is prone to reacting to sunscreen ingredients

Fake and Fabulous… or If you want to be safe, choose the right tan

for your golden glow

Gel… is very good for olive skin as the colour is generally more concentrated Mousse…Is good because it is quick drying, and ideal for people short on time Lotion… Usually contains moisturising ingredients and is perfect for dry skin Spray… Perfect for tricky areas and gives a lovely airbrushed finish Tined… a pigmented lotion reduces the chances of streaking and patches

Fitness Us girls need exercise for a number of reasons. Our bodies when we are teenagers are rapidly changing, and increased independence can lead to poor eating habits, but exercise can help them balance things out. Many teens actually exercise less during these crucial years, partly due to insecurities, but also because other activities consume their time. Physical fitness includes heart health and muscle strength, stamina and flexibility. For teenage girls, good fitness can help improve athletic performance, avoid injury and prevent health problems later in life, such as osteoporosis. It is so important for us girls to stay fit and healthy! Not only by eating right but by staying active!

Build Aerobic Fitness Most of your daily exercise should be aerobic, It can be vigorously intense exercise such as jogging or jumping rope as well. You should break a sweat, but you should be able to talk while you are exercising. To build cardiovascular fitness, start by getting your heart rate up and taking a break after a few minutes if you need to. Don’t stop completely, though. If you’re new to jogging, jog for five minutes, then walk until you catch your breath. If you are cycling or rollerblading, add coasting and downhill grades to your route to give you a break. After you have built up your stamina, exercise at this level for 20 to 30 minutes, three to five times per week. You can dance, swim, jog, skate, cycle or use exercise machines to create aerobic workouts, have fun with it!

Build Muscle Strength When you build muscle, you can run faster, jump higher and hit balls harder.

You can use your body’s weight to do muscle strengthening exercises, doing push-ups, sit-ups, squats, lunges, pull-ups and chin-ups. To help with your basketball shooting, volleyball spiking, softball throwing and tennis serving, work on your upper body strength by practicing pull-ups and chin-ups. Your core area is very important to most sports. Core strength also helps with good posture and helps prevent back pain. Add sit-ups and abdominal exercises three times each week.

Improve Bone Strength Weight-bearing exercises also help you maintain bone density, which is important for girls. As you get older, your body will produce less estrogen and you’ll lose bone density. You can take calcium pills, but weight exercises are the best prevention. Use dumbbells and resistance bands to do exercises such as biceps curls, which have you lift weights up and down from your hips to your shoulders.

Some tips to help you stay on track Stretch

Remember the most important thing you can do before and after exercise is stretch. This will help prevent injury, and it will prevent muscles from building up and becoming bulky. Stretching after exercise elongates your muscles so you’ll have lean, toned lines, not a muscle-man build.

Ten Minutes of Weight Training

Ten to Fifteen Minutes of Cardio

After stretching, warm up your body with ten to fifteen minutes of cardiovascular exercise. Cardio can be dancing, running, jogging, jumping rope, climbing stairs or riding a bike. Any of these exercises will bring your heart rate up to a level where you can burn fat and build lean muscle mass.

Get Your Friends Involved

Exercise can be fun! Get your Most of us girls avoid lifting friends involved. Join a sports weights, because we think it will team and go to the gym together. build up our arms and make us Or meet with some friends at the look like guys. That is not true. park, stretch, walk and then play a Lightweight training will keep your game of basketball or volleyball or muscles toned, and it will work do some yoga and pilates together. muscles you don’t use in the Take turns having one person being course of a regular day. Slow the fitness teacher, and follow reps of basic arm curls, straightalong as if she’s your personal arm lifts, and back-strength traincoach. You’ll get to hang out ing work will help keep you toned together and help your body at and improve your posture. the same time. Doing it with your friends helps motivate each other and keep each other on track.

Eating Right EASY TIPS FOR PLANNING A HEALTHY DIET AND STICKING TO IT! Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible, so rather than starve yourself, learn some nutrition basics and use them in a way that works for you.

Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”, remember it’s not just what you eat, but how you eat. Learning the habits of healthy eating can boost your energy, sharpen your memory and stabilize your mood. You can expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, healthy diet.

Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change.

• Simplify. A lot of girls are overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness. It will be easy to make healthier choices • Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking.

• Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long-term goal is to feel good, have more energy and reduce the risk of cancer and disease.

Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation! The fad diets out there like the rainbow diet, white diet, fasting etc. would have you believe that we don’t need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals but to sustain a healthy body we do!

• Try not to think of certain foods as “off limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. Rather think of these foods as a treat • Think smaller portions. Serving sizes are increasingly getting larger.

When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates.

Healthy eating tip 3: It’s not just what you eat, it’s how you eat Healthy eating isn’t just the food on your plate, it is about how you think about food. It is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down.

• Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has social and emotional benefits, eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.

• Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly. Don’t rush though meals, try not to forget to actually taste the flavors.

• Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry.

It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.

• Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.

Healthy eating tip 4: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains help us have a healthier heart.

Healthy eating tip 5: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables Fruits and vegetables are the basis of a healthy diet, not only are they are low in calories and nutrient dense, they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.

Fruits and vegetables should be part of every meal and your first choice for a snack,aim for a minimum of five portions eachday.

Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day—the brighter the better.The brighter, deeper coloured fruits and vegetables contain more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—and different colours provide different benefits. Some great choices are: • Greens: Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce, kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.

• Sweet vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets.

• Fruit: A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer fighting, apples provide fiber etc…

Healthy eating tip 6: Put protein in perspective Protein gives us the energy to get up and go, and keep going. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system.

Here are some tips to include protein in your healthy diet: Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu and soy products.

• Beans: Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.

• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans are great choices.

• Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh, and veggie burgers for a change.

• Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.

Downsize your portions of protein. Try to move away from protein being the centre of your meal. Focus on equal servings of protein, whole grains, and vegetables. Focus on quality sources of protein.

Healthy eating tip 7: Limit sugar and salt If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar and salt.

Sugar Sugar causes energy ups and downs and can add to health and weight problems. Unfortunately, reducing the amount of candy, cakes, and desserts we eat is only part of the solution. Often you may not even be aware of the amount of sugar you’re consuming each day. Large amounts of added sugar can be hidden in foods such as bread, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, and margarine, the list goes on! Here are some tips: • Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more than the daily recommended limit! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.

• Eat naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, or natural peanut butter to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Salt Most of us consume too much salt in our diets. Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure and lead to other health problems.

• Avoid processed or pre-packaged foods. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen dinners contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended limit.

• Be careful when eating out.

Most restaurant and fast food meals are loaded with sodium.

• Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.

• Cut back on salty snacks such as potato chips, nuts, and pretzels.

• Choose low salt or reduced-sodium products.

• Try slowly reducing the salt in your diet to give your taste buds time to adjust.

Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium for strong bones Calcium is important in order to stay strong and healthy. You and your bones will benefit from eating plenty of calcium-rich foods.

Good sources of calcium include: • Dairy: Dairy products are rich in calcium in a form that is easily digested and absorbed by the body. Sources include milk, yogurt, and cheese.

• Vegetables and greens: Many vegetables, especially leafy green ones, are rich sources of calcium. Try turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, celery, broccoli, fennel, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus.

• Beans: For another rich source of calcium, try black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, black-eyed peas, or baked beans.

Healthy eating tip 9: Plan quick and easy meals ahead Healthy eating starts with great planning. You will have won half the healthy diet battle if you have a well-stocked kitchen, a stash of quick and easy recipes, and plenty of healthy snacks.

Plan your meals by the week or even the month...

One of the best ways to have a healthy diet is to prepare your own food and eat in regularly. Pick a few healthy recipes that you and your family like and build a meal schedule around them. If you have three or four meals planned per week and eat leftovers on the other nights.

Cook when you can...

Try to cook one or both weekend days or on a weekday evening and make extra to freeze or set aside for another night.

Cooking ahead saves time and money, and it is gratifying to know that you have a home cooked meal waiting to be eaten.

Challenge yourself to come up with two or three dinners that can be put together without going to the store—utilizing things in your pantry, freezer, and spice rack.

Relaxation

Our body’s natural relaxation response is a powerful cure to stress. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and yoga can help you activate this relaxation response.

When practiced regularly, these activities lead to a reduction in your everyday stress levels and a boost in your feelings of joy and serenity. They can also teach you how to stay calm and collected in the face of life’s curveballs Deep breathing for stress relief... =With its focus on full, cleansing breaths, deep breathing is a simple, yet powerful, relaxation technique. It’s easy to learn, can be practiced almost anywhere, and provides a quick way to get your stress levels in check. Deep breathing is the cornerstone of many other relaxation practices, too, and can be combined with other relaxing elements such as aromatherapy and music. All you really need is a few minutes and a place to stretch out.

How to practice deep breathing...

• Sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.

• Breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise.

The hand on your chest should move very little.

• Exhale through your mouth, pushing out as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.

• Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.

If you have a hard time breathing from your abdomen while sitting up, try lying on the floor. Put a small book on your stomach, and try to breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale.

Mindfulness meditation for stress relief Meditation that cultivates mindfulness is particularly effective at reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions. Mindfulness is the quality of being fully engaged in the present moment, without analyzing or otherwise “over-thinking” the experience. Rather than worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, mindfulness meditation switches the focus to what’s happening right now.

For stress relief, try the following mindfulness meditation techniques:

Walking meditation - You don’t have to be seated or still to meditate. In walking meditation, mindfulness involves being focused on the physicality of each step — the sensation of your feet touching the ground, the rhythm of your breath while moving, and feeling the wind against your face.

Body scan – Body scanning cultivates

mindfulness by focusing your attention on various parts of your body. Like progressive muscle relaxation, you start with your feet and work your way up. However, instead of tensing and relaxing your muscles, you simply focus on the way each part of your body feels without labeling the sensations as either “good” or “bad”.

Mindful eating – If you reach for food

when you’re under stress or gulp your meals down in a rush, try eating mindfully. Sit down at the table and focus your full attention on the meal (no TV, newspapers, or eating on the run).

Eat slowly, taking the time to fully enjoy and concentrate on each bite.

Mindfulness meditation is not equal to zoning out. It takes effort to maintain your concentration and to bring it back to the present moment when your mind wanders or you start to drift off. But with regular practice, mindfulness meditation actually changes the brain – strengthening the areas associated with joy and relaxation, and weakening those involved in negativity and stress

Guided imagery for stress relief

Massage therapy for stress relief

Visualization, or guided imagery, is a variation on traditional meditation that can help relieve stress. When used as a relaxation technique, guided imagery involves imagining a scene in which you feel at peace, free to let go of all tension and anxiety. Choose whatever setting is most calming to you, whether a tropical beach, a favorite childhood spot, or a quiet wooded glen. You can do this visualization exercise on your own, with a therapist’s help, or using an audio recording.

Close your eyes and let your worries drift away. Imagine your restful place. Picture it as vividly as you can—everything you can see, hear, smell, and feel. Guided imagery works best if you incorporate as many sensory details as possible.

For example, if you are thinking about a dock on a quiet lake:

Getting a massage provides deep relaxation, and as the muscles in your body relax, so does your overstressed mind.

And you don’t have to visit the spa to enjoy the benefits of massage. There are many simple self-massage techniques you can use to relax and release stress.

• See the sun setting over the water • Hear the birds singing • Smell the pine trees • Feel the cool water on your bare feet • Taste the fresh, clean air Yoga for stress relief

Self-Massage Techniques Scalp Soother - Place your thumbs behind your ears while spreading your fingers on top of your head. Move your scalp back and forth slightly by making circles with your fingertips for 15-20 seconds.

Easy on the Eyes - Close your eyes and place your ring fingers directly under your eyebrows, near the bridge of your nose. Slowly increase the pressure for 5-10 seconds, then gently release. Repeat 2-3 times.

Sinus Pressure Relief - Place your fingertips at the bridge of your nose.

Slowly slide your fingers down your nose and across the top of your cheekbones to the outside of your eyes.

Shoulder Tension Relief - Reach one arm across the front of your body to your opposite shoulder. Using a circular motion, press firmly on the muscle above your shoulder blade. Repeat on the other side.

Yoga is an excellent stress relief technique. It involves a series of both moving and stationary poses, combined with deep breathing. The physical and mental benefits of yoga provide a natural counterbalance to stress, and strengthen the relaxation response in your daily life.

Since injuries can happen when yoga is practiced incorrectly, it’s best to learn by attending group classes or hiring a private teacher. Once you’ve learned the basics, you can practice alone or with others, tailoring your practice as you see fit.

Emotional Health How to love the skin you’re in!

Girl’s body image is YOUR attitude towards YOUR body! How you see yourself, how you think and feel about the way you look and how you think others perceive you. Your own beliefs and attitudes as well as those of society, the media and peer groups, can influence your body image. A lot of girls these days have an unhealthy body image that is thinking your body is bigger or smaller that it is in reality, believing that you aren’t perfect on the outside, and thinking that how you look on the outside is your entirety. You are more than just your skin! I want to encourage a healthy body image, which is being comfortable in your own skin, being happy with the way you look, and feeling good within yourself.

How to get an ‘unhealthy’ body image?

Girls generally come across images of other people everywhere, all the time.

These images will most likely include a large section of twig-like female models in magazines, super-skinny celebrities on TV, and tiny mannequins in stores, Trust me I’ve been there and I know being surrounded by all these images can sometimes make you feel bad about yourself and the way your body looks, and you may feel like it is important to be like them. Over time the ideal body shape has changed. It has always been the opposite of the social climate. Believe it or not for a while it was ‘hot’ to be plump, because it showed style and wealth. These days, some reasons why it is fashionable to be slim and well toned might be that it shows you have the money for a gym membership or a personal trainer.

How to change that ‘unhealthy’ body image?

Instead of receiving unrealistic images you should question messages in the media, every time you see a magazine article telling you to become thinner or wear a particular type of clothing, ask yourself why should i? Look at the images you see in the media showing strong, respectable, smart people or are they showing somebody solely focused on how pretty or handsome they are? Since when did you have to listen to what other people say about how you look? You have the right to be happy with who you are. Don’t let anybody take that away from you!

So find your own style, wear what you want to wear and not what is in fashion.

Fashion comes and goes but we’ll outlast the trends! And finally be you!

Most people know that beauty is more than skin-deep but our social emphasis on physical appearance can make even the most flawless-skinned beauty selfconscious. Supermodels sporting perfect, made-up, and airbrushed skin and not much else adorn the pages of magazines and television ads reminding onlookers to strive for the impossible.

Sex ED Sex education is not just an option but also a necessity for teens nowadays.

Children past the puberty stage need to be informed not only about body parts and the reproductive system. They are supposed to learn something deeper about relationships and safe sex, as these will teach them how to act responsibly when the time comes.

STD’s and Unwanted Pregnancy Irresponsible teens are more prone to acquiring sexually transmitted diseases if they choose not to listen to their parents or follow the principles of safe sex. If sexual relations cannot be postponed until the right time comes, protected sex has to be practiced in the least. Instances of Chlamydia, especially in young women, are very high these days.

If safe sex is not practiced, the outcome is always either a disease or a pregnancy. Whichever it is, the long-term effect is always not pleasant. Kid having kids of their own is currently reaching alarming figures. And because of this, school, parents, and the rest of the community had joined hands in helping kids understand the ill effects of unwanted pregnancy and careless decisions.

Peer Pressure Statistics show that most teens give in to sex if they experience too much pressure from peers. This is especially true with boys, who may feel as if they are forced into a sexual relationship way before they are ready. Most boys feel pressure from their malefriends, especially if these friends have had sexual relationships in the past.

Teenage girls also feel pressure, but not as much as boys do.

In a recent survey, 63% of the boys questioned admit that they had felt the pressure compared to only 23% for the girls. Only a handful of teenagers don’t feel it at all or opted to wait for the right time to have sex.

Waiting Is Always Best From most parent’s point of view, waiting to have sex is better than choosing the right contraceptive method. Parents prefer that their kids be taught of the right values in schools instead of teaching them which birth control pill is better to use. They believe that preventing teenage pregnancy can be also done through encouraging teenagers to practice self-discipline and chastity.

But the practice of safe sex should not be ignored altogether, because in the end, the choice is always in the teenager. Parents cannot really impose upon them what to do and what not to do in matters like these. And so all teenagers should make sure that they make the right choice at all times – and always as if their future depends on it.

Those awkward subjects revealed...

The first time Sometimes, it can seem like you’re the only one who hasn’t had sex. You should never have sex to just get it over and done with, you should really think about twice. Having sex can bring about very powerful feelings and has many potential implications, such as getting an STI or becoming pregnant. When it comes to sex, there are two very important things to remember: one, that you are ultimately the person in charge of your own happiness and your own body; and two, you have a lot of time to wait until you’re totally sure about it. If you decide to put off sex, it’s okay, no matter what anyone else says or does.

Birth Control The birth control pill is safe for most young women and very effective in preventing pregnancy. Most girls who take the Pill have few or no serious side effects. Most of the minor side effects of the Pill tend to go away over time, and your nurse or doctor will go over those with you. The one that really sounds scary — blood clots — is rare. If you have certain health conditions, like a history of blood clots, certain kinds of migraines, or some types of cancer, it may mean that the Pill is not right for you. For most girls without health problems, the Pill is safe. For some health problems, the Pill is actually helpful. If you are interested in starting the Pill, sit down and have a talk with your doctor about it. Since the Pill doesn’t protect against STDs, you should still use a condom each time you have sex.

Bleeding afterward’s Some girls bleed the first time they have sex because the hymen breaks or tears. It all depends on the girl. If bleeding happens when you’ve already had sex before, it may be from irritation or some further tearing of the remnant of the hymen. But bleeding can also be from a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or other medical problem. If the bleeding continues to happen or if you have any other unexpected symptom, see a doctor. And, of course, now that you are having sex, use a condom every time to help protect against pregnancy and STDs. Pregnancy signs The signs of early pregnancy can differ. Many girls have symptoms, such as tender breasts, tiredness, nausea, morning sickness, frequent urination, food cravings, mood swings, and headaches starting within the first few weeks of becoming pregnant. Some girls may start to hate foods they used to like. Some girls, though, seem to have very few early signs and may not even know they are pregnant. Home pregnancy tests, if done correctly, can be very accurate. Tests vary from brand to brand, so be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging. If taken too early, pregnancy tests may not be accurate. Just be sure to see a doctor if there is any possibility you might be pregnant.

HIV

HIV is passed on in the sexual fluids or blood of an infected person, so if infected blood or sexual fluid gets into your body, you can become infected.

This usually happens by either having sexual intercourse with an infected person or by sharing needles used to inject drugs with an infected person. People can also be born with HIV if their mother is infected and a very small number of people become infected by having medical treatment using infected blood transfusions.

HIV can’t be caught by kissing, hugging or shaking hands with an infected person, and it can’t be transmitted by sneezes, door handles or dirty glasses.

Safe sex and SAFER sex

Usually when people talk about sex they mean sexual intercourse or ‘penetrative sex’ and this cannot be described as ‘safe sex’. Safe sex means sexual activities, which you can do even if one person is infected with HIV, and they definitely won’t pass it on to the other person. Lots of sexual activities are completely safe. You can kiss, cuddle, massage and rub each other’s bodies.

Safer sex also means using a condom during sexual intercourse. Using a condom is not absolutely safe as condoms can break, but condoms can be effective if they are used correctly. Oral sex, does carry some risk of infection, so you must make sure you know your partner well, and be safe!

Missed your period?

It is really normal for girls to experience irregular periods when they first start menstruating. A girl might skip a period and then have a longer or shorter period. And then she might go back to a normal period. There are many reasons why a girl might miss a period, including her period cycle hasn’t stabilized yet, stress, too much exercise, strict dieting, pregnancy.

A missed period can also be the first sign of a pregnancy. If you have had unprotected sex, then it is important to find out whether you are pregnant as soon as possible. Get a home pregnancy test from a store or, better yet, make an appointment with your doctor or at a clinic

“Life’s a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you’re gonna get” Author Brooke Young

- Forest Gump