75% of Women are Wearing the Incorrect Bra Size!

I know its hard to believe, but 7 out of 10 women are wearing the wrong bra size. Popular T.V. shows such as Oprah and TLC have dedicated entire segments on this issue because the problem is so prevalent.Here are some signs that you may not have the right size:

• If when you raise your hands above your head, your breasts fall out below the bra. Usually dropping a band size corrects this issue.

• The middle part of your bra, the section that sits between your breast, doesn’t sit flat against your sternum. You may need a larger cup size.

• Does the band ride up your back. This means your band size is too large.

• The back of the bra should not dig in or appear as if it is being stretched. If it does you need a larger band size.

• Bra straps should provide only 10% of the bras total support.  If your straps are doing all the work and leaving red marks on your shoulders, consider dropping down a band size.

• Do you “overflow” out of the cup? This indicates that the cup size is too small.

• Your bra band should not be giving you the illusion of back fat. If this is happening try a larger band size.

If you are experiencing any of these problems you might want to consider going to a reputable store and getting properly fitted.

~ Kellilynn Marie

More Professional Beauty Tips

How To Prevent Dark Circles

Many of us have experienced dark circles under our eyes or will. These troublesome spots are difficult to conceal and even harder to get rid of. There are many contributing factors that cause this skin discoloration – some of which are unavoidable such as age or illness. However there are many practical ways to prevent them.

• Get Your Sleep
• Keep Your Skin Hydrated
• Limit Your Medication
• Take Your Vitamins & Minerals: such as – Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Iron
• Reduce Stress

More Tips for Under Eye Conditions

The Real Cause of Dark Under Eye Circles

Dark circles under the eye are every girl’s nightmare.  Many women have noticed that as they age, discoloration in the skin under their eyes tends to develop.  I will explain what causes these annoying spots.

Dark under-eye circles are a by-product of the very same mechanism that produces bruises, oxidizing hemoglobin.  This happens when red blood cells, which normally travel single file through your capillaries, get lost and wonder into the surrounding skin. Your body sends special enzymes to break down the red blood cells, including their hemoglobin (the molecule that gives them their distinctive red color). It is the remaining components of this broken down hemoglobin that give the dark blue color. Now this leakage takes place in other parts of your body but the dark circles are so apparent under your eyes because this skin is some of the thinnest most translucent on your body. So your dark under-eye circles are actually caused by leaky capillaries

More Beauty Tips

Highlighting Your Hair at home Using a Cap

Preparation:

• Use a good clarifying shampoo and conditioner a few days before you highlight.  This removes any traces of hair care products so your hair will take the highlight better.

• Don’t wash your hair a day or two before the highlighting process because a small amount of natural hair oil helps protect your hair from chemical damage.

• Brush your hair thoroughly right before you highlight because tangles may make it difficult to apply highlights and might affect the outcomes.

• It is also a good idea to do a test procedure with a thin piece of hair and a small amount of highlighting mixture. Wait a few minutes to check for any adverse effects or damage to your hair. If everything tests okay and you are happy with the color, then you can proceed with the highlighting process.

.

Highlighting Process:

• Place the cap on your head and pull it down snugly.

• Using the hook, puncture the designated holes in the cap starting as close to your front hair line as possible.    Come in at a slight angle for best results.

• For thin highlights that generally blend in, pull out thin sections of hair. Do this by not allowing the hook to penetrate your hair deeply.  If you want thick bold highlights pull large sections by going deeper into your hair.

• Continue to pull out the desired amount of strands of hair.

• Once all the hair is pulled through the cap, using your protective gloves, prepare the highlighting mixture.

• Coat all the pulled out sections thoroughly and use your fingers in a lathering motion to be sure no hair is missed.

• Set timer for the designated processing time.

• Once the time is up remove the cap and rinse your hair thoroughly. Avoid shampooing your hair as the cuticle of the hair is still slightly open. Washing may prematurely remove or fade your new hair highlights. Instead rinse very well and apply a conditioner to seal the cuticle and moisturize the hair shaft.

• Towel dry and finish with a hair dryer.

More Hair Color & Highlighting Tips

Hair Dryer Attachments

Diffusers

Best for wavy or curly hair, diffusers are used to give flat hair body.  By combing the “fingers” of the attachment through your hair while drying, you give your hair lift, creating a volumized style. They also reduce the intensity of your blow dryers air flow taming frizzies. Other types of diffusers have soft plastic fingers, which allow you to message your scalp while drying your hair.

How to Use:

1.     Began drying your hair at the roots using a circular motion, always moving in the same direction, and using on a low speed setting.

2.     Make sure to keep the dryer at a 90 degree angle from the scalp throughout the drying process as this will help lift the roots away from the scalp creating volume.

3.     Finish by drying the ends.

Added volume:

1.     For added volume dry your hair upside down so that the roots fall away from your scalp.

2.     First focus the air flow at your roots until dry

3.     Then continue the process to the ends of your hair.

Concentrators

While they come in many different shapes and sizes, concentrators do just that, help you direct the air flow precisely, enabling you to have more control. Recommended for smoothing and shaping.

How to Use:

1.     Pre dry your hair

2.     Dry small sections at a time by placing a round brush underneath the hair at the roots

3.     Position the hair dryer at a 90 degree angle focusing the air flow down the section and brush from root to tip following with the dryer. Repeat this process on each section until completely dry before moving to the next section.

4.     Finish by turning the ends under and set your by blowing a “cool shot” through your hair.

Piks

Pik attachments are used to create volume and add lift to any style. They come in many different shapes and sizes. For long hair use a pik with long prongs and for shorter hair short prongs. Also for those with overly curly hair the pik attachment can be used to smooth and straighten your hair.

Purchase Hair Dryer Attachments

Curling Hair with a Flat Iron

Turn your flat iron heat element to the desired temperature. Try not to have it on the highest heat setting due to the risk of damaging hot spots and hair breakage…I recommend 350° – 400°

If you want bigger softer curls then take larger sections (1-1/2” – 2”), if you would like tighter curls take smaller sections (1”).  Take your first section and spray with a heat protector then comb through.  Next, clamp the section of hair with your flat iron close to your scalp, twist 180° towards or away from your scalp (depending upon the direction you want your hair to be curled) and gently pull down till you reach the end of your hair.  The faster you pass over a section, the looser the curl. The slower the more curl you will achieve.

Repeat these steps until all of your hair is curled, then gently tousle the hair with your fingers or a pick to break up the curls.

Finally set your hair with a finishing hair spray to prolong the shape of your beautiful curls.

Need Some of these Products:

Flat Iron

Heat Protector

Hair Comb

Hairspray

Bad Hair Day Ideas

We’ve been there… sometimes it seems all too often where you look in the mirror and hate what you see.  For some reason our hair is limp, frizzy, dry or just completely uncontrollable.  These are the days when we just give up! Well here are a few ideas on some simple styles to help you mask your crazy hair.

1. Cute Pig Tails: I say cute because I am referring to the soft simple ones that are secured by a tiny rubber band loosely by your shoulders.  You can zigzag your part all the way down to the back of your head, separate then pull softly to the side and secure then repeat on other side.  Please do not wear high pigtails if you are over 5 years old.

2. Braids: You can braid your hair in multiple ways.

• Pull your hair to one side and softly braid the hair down, secure with a little rubber band.
• French braid loosely
• Braid the first inch section of your hair line, start at your part and braid down to the end of the hair, secure with a little rubber band
• Place a small braid down the back of your hair.

3. Hat: You can wear a hat with your hair down, in a pony tail or with a braid.  Play around and see what looks cute.

4. Loose Bun: You could put your hair in a lower pony tail and wrap your hair around the base of the pony (you could even try braiding the pony then wrap it around) and secure in.  Try to make this a little messier, it softens the look.

5. Head Band: They are great put your hair in and go! To dress it up you could back comb the hair to create some lift or with a high pony tail.

More Beauty Tips

Static Frizz & Flyaway Hair 101 – Causes

There are many factors that can cause static frizz but it is usually under-moisturized hair that has become very porous and lost its ability to retain its natural moisture due to cuticle damage. To eliminate your frizzy hair, you first need to establish what is causing it.

Here is a list of other factors that may contribute to Frizzy Hair:

Genetics: This is an important factor because some hair types and textures have a natural tendency to be frizzy.

Humidity:  This is the worst, if you already have dry frizzy hair! Even being outside for a few minutes in the humid weather can cause the hair to get extremely frizzy.  There are products out there that can help but the weather is a huge challenge for frizz. The best defrizzers are silicone based

Over Processed Hair: Chemical treatments such as highlights, color, perms, relaxers or any service done using sodium, calcium, lithium hydroxide or lye.  Chemicals services used are very damaging and will create dry frizzy hair.

Excessive use of thermal appliances (hair dryer, flat irons, curling irons, etc.) causes extreme damage and is the most common cause of frizz. Also using the wrong heat setting for your hair type can cause damage.

Sun & Wind Damage:  The sun’s powerful rays and the force of the wind can be very damaging on the hair resulting in split ends along with dry and brittle hair.

The use of too many Styling Products: Hair products with a high alcohol content such as hair sprays, gels and mousses, will dry out & damage your hair causing frizz.

Over handling your hair such as touching, brushing or combing your hair.

Using synthetic brushes causes static frizz, always use natural or boar bristle

Lack of Protein & Moisture: – Hair is made up of protein, Keratin to be exact.  When we do all the things stated above we lose a lot of the natural keratin forcing us to use products that try to help replace it.  Moisture make up about 8-14% of the hair and it is necessary to have moisture to prevent frizz.  Regular trimming will help you rid any of the dry split ends.

Purchase Frizzy Hair Products

Essentially, a dehydrated cortex is the culprit of frizzy hair. It’s the everyday abuse that we subjected our hair to that causes this dehydration and damage. Hair coloring, perms, highlights, excessive sun exposure, poor diet, thermal damage from styling also cause damage and contribute to frizz. Whatever the cause, frizzy hair can be very irritating and hard to control. The good thing is that there are many simple precautionary steps you can take to help minimize the occurrence of frizz.

Trim your hair every 6 to 8 weeks

Try not to blow dry your hair more than 3 times a week, instead let your hair dry naturally.

Only wash your hair when it’s dirty not on a daily basis. No more than 2-3 times a week.

Deep Condition your hair once a week to help maintain moisture

When rinsing out hair conditioner it is best to use cold water because it locks down your hair‘s cuticles.

Try to use silicone based hair styling products

Use natural bristle hair brushes

Avoid oil based conditioners because the contribute to frizz, instead use cream conditioners

Don’t play with your hair throughout the day

Smooth out tangles with a wide toothed comb not a hair brush

If you have curly or wavy hair, don’t straighten your hair too often. Try to embrace you natural hair type.

While hair frizz can be irritating, proper conditioning and good styling techniques will ensure your hair always looks its best.

Always Test New Facial Products

Gritty, Acidic products can be very irritating to your sensitive skin.  So make sure to spot test anything foreign on your inner arm before applying anything to your face.  Then proceed only if there is not a reaction.

More Skin Care Tips

10 Must Have Hair Drying Tips

Here are 10 important hair drying tips to help ensure good results while maintaining healthy hair.

1.  Invest in a Quality Hair Dryer: Thankfully, the latest hair dryer technology has made damaging dryers a relic of the past.  I recommend purchasing in a blow dryer with least 1800 watts, multiple heat / speed setting, a cool shot button, nozzle attachments, lightweight, ionic, and tourmaline or ceramic technology.

2.  Gradually Reduce the Heat Setting:  When drying wet hair use the highest heat setting, then reduce the heat as your hair dries.  Never have the blow dryer heat setting higher than you really need!

3.  Use Thermal Protectants:   Use a thermal cream, serum or spray, to protect your hair from the harmful effects of blow drying.  Some of these products not only protect your hair but they also infuse your hair with vitamins.

4. Limit Your Use: It is not recommended to use a hair dryer every day, as it is harmful to your hair.  To be safe try to use no more than 4 times a week.

5.  Ionic Technology:  Ionic dryers emit negatively charged ions which cause the cuticle to remain flat trapping in moisture, which reduces frizz.

6.  Don’t Get to Close: Avoid placing the dryer nozzle directly onto hair, at least 2 inches away, to prevent hair cuticle damage.

7.  Don’t Brush to Soon: Wait until your hair is damp rather than wet to start using a brush.  The pulling caused by the brush is very damaging to wet hair.

8.  Towel Dry: Do not aggressively rub wet hair with a towel.  Instead, towel dry with a dabbing or patting action to absorb most of the moisture.

9. Keep Moving: Keep the hair dryer moving at all times to avoid heat damage.

10.  Maintain Moisture: Blow drying your hair is very dehydrating so it is recommended to do a deep conditioning treatment once a week to keep your hair strong and healthy.  This will also reduce static frizz.

Purchase Professional, High Quality Ionic Hair Dryers