ACNE TREATMENT

There are thousands of oil glands in the skin. In the middle of your face there are around 2000 oil glands per square inch. These glands lubricate the skin. These pores and glands sometimes become plugged by dirt, dead skin, and excess oil. The clogging and irritation of these pores creates acne.

1. Hands Off

Do not pick or squeeze any of the pimples. This spreads bacteria and can cause scars. Even if you pop a pimple on the surface, the inflammation may be forced into the surrounding tissue below the skin.

2. Washing

Acne cannot be washed away. This only removes the oil from the surface but does not unclog the pores. Excessive washing of the face will just result in drying out the skin. Wash once or twice a day with mild soap or nonsoap cleanser. Rub lightly with fingertips and use warm water. Do not use an abrasive washcloth since this might damage the skin.

3. Do Not Exfoliate

Exfoliating is the removal of the top layer of dead skin cells by using an abrasive washcloth, loofah or specially designed product. Acne is already irritating the skin and scrubbing makes it worse. Do not use facial brushes, rough sponges or cleansers with scrubbing granules.

4. Benzoyl Peroxide

Several over-the-counter products contain benzoyl peroxide. This ingredient helps unclog pores and decreases bacteria on the skin. Start with the lowest concentration of benzoyl peroxide. The dose should be two-and-a-half to five percent lotion or gel applied once a day. After one week up the application to twice a day if the benzoyl peroxide does not irritate your skin. After four to six weeks, up the dose to ten percent if there has been no improvement with your acne. This dose can be applied twice a day if needed. Benzoyl peroxide tends to dry out the skin so apply a mild moisturizer after each application.

5. Makeup

Use water-based makeup since oil-based makeup will only aggravate the pores. Check the label on your makeup to see if it contains oil. If you are unsure then use observation to determine the base of the makeup. If your makeup separates after it sits undisturbed then it is water-based. If it does not separate then it is oil-based. The best makeup to use while suffering from acne is powdered. Eye makeup and lipstick are generally okay since they go on areas that are not affected by acne.

6. Diet

Diet does not have an affect on acne. Chocolate, greasy foods, nuts and other foods have not been proven to cause acne. If you do happen to eat something that causes an acne flare-up then simply avoid that food in the future.

UNDERSTANDING WIGS

Synthetic or Human hair wigs?

Synthetic wigs may be the best choice if you have a short hairstyle. The drawbacks would be that they tend to be stiffer than those made of human hair and their fiber may frizz because of heat or rubbing on the collar of a blouse. Also, the base may cause some irritation to sensitive skin in some cases.

The major benefits for synthetic hair wigs include:

• Synthetic wigs don’t require special care
• Affordable prices between $40 and $800
• Can be purchased immediately or delivered very quickly
• Permanent color

Human hair wigs are generally more expensive, but look and feel the most natural. Other advantages of human hair wigs include: They are the best choice for longer hairstyles.They flow just like grown hair, are soft to the touch and definitely last longer than synthetic ones. Prepare, though, to take care of human hair wigs as you would your own hair.

Blends of human hair and synthetic fiber may also be available, but while these wigs may provide some of the advantages of both types (natural feel of the human hair and style keeping of the synthetics), they can be more difficult to maintain or repair.

FASHION

Fashion is always changing, slightly elusive, extremely seductive.

It has the power to transform an image and make a social statement.

What is fashion anyway?

1.    The prevailing style or custom, as in dress or behavior: out of fashion.

2.    Something, such as a garment, that is in the current mode: a swimsuit that is the latest fashion.

3.    The style characteristic of the social elite: a man of fashion

To some, fashion is an art form. To others, it is almost a religion.

But for most people it is a method of utilizing clothing, accessories and hair to show or hide something about yourself.

You can use fashion to express yourself, to serve as an extension of your personality: goth, skater, soccer mom, professional.

Or you can use fashion to disguise your true self:a conservative in vamp clothing, a vamp in conservative clothing.

Fashion statements can be made with clothes, accessories, shoes, hair, makeup, even your cellphone.

Who decides what's in?

Designers can greatly influence what direction fashion will go in.

Miuccia Prada of Prada and Miu Miu, Marc Jacobs of Marc by Marc Jacobs, Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton are considered directional designers (Prada for remixing classics, Jacobs for vintage-inspired styles).

Working five or six months ahead of the season, the press attends fashion shows presenting designer collections; the media will then give editorial coverage to trends they think their readership is interested in.

Store buyers work many months in advance of the season to place orders with manufacturers for styles they think their customers will want to buy.

Celebrities and other opinion leaders (socialites and other glitterati) are usually the first to sport new looks, spurring the buying public into accepting emerging trends.

So everyone from big-name designers to celebrities may be behind influencing the direction fashion will go in.

But ultimately, it is you, the consumer, who will decide what is "in" when you choose whether or not to buy into a trend.

Where are the world's fashion centers?

New York, Paris and Milan are considered the major hubs for designers and manufacturers of fashion apparel and accessories.

London, Los Angeles, Toronto, Hong Kong, Sydney and Sao Paolo, in addition to hundreds of other smaller market areas are host to excellent designers and manufacturers