Beauty Tips for First Dates

Ah, first dates. They can be intimidating, exhilarating…even completely mortifying. To pump yourself up for the big event, spend a little extra time primping and planning. Pamper yourself with a bubble bath. Listen to some music. Indulge in a glass of wine to calm your nerves. Dates are meant to be fun for both parties, so lighten up, loosen up and let the preparation games begin!

If you’re fishing for some kissing, keep those lips glistening. Apply your favourite lip-gloss or Chap Stick as needed. Sparkles and added shine draw more attention to just how kissable your lips really are! Don’t skimp on the tasty lip treats…you may not be the only one enjoying them!

For the ultimate mysterious guise, accentuate your eyes. Many people consider the eyes to be the window to one’s soul. With a language all their own, eyes convey every emotion – joy, sorrow, uncertainty, nervousness, mischievousness, sarcasm and on down the line.

Let your eyes engage their own conversation with your date, thanks to a special flair and style stemming right back to your choice of mascara, eye shadow and eyeliner. Select shades that complement your skin tone as well as your wardrobe, and apply enough to be noticed, but not too much to be overwhelming. Lengthen and thicken your lashes with a bold mascara and swipe on a little eye shadow to bring some color into the equation. Use eyeliner to emphasize your eyes, bringing their intensity up just a bit.

Got a blemish? Fret not. Some concealer and pressed powder can save the day. Zits happen. We’ve all had them, and we’ll probably see many more of them in our days. Now, unless you’ve got the honker of all honkers, chances are you’re more than likely overreacting to the situation at hand. Have you ever noticed when a friend exclaims something like, “Oh my gosh, can you believe the size of this sucker?!” – sometimes you still can’t see the blemish, even after she points it out to you? It may be true that we are always more critical of ourselves, sometimes to the point of excess.

To help erase the unsightly mark on your face, try a drop of Visine to get the red out, or apply a solution containing benzoyl peroxide. Once the area dries, apply concealer to the affected area and blend it in as best you can. Now apply the pressed powder to your entire face, step back and examine the damage. Most times, this method clears up the spot enough that you’d have to be looking for the blemish in order to identify it.

Select a sexy fragrance and flaunt it. If scent truly is the strongest sense tied to memory, choice of fragrance can be an invaluable factor in your preparation for the big night. If you end up connecting with your date, you will probably want to instill a completely sensual and mind-blowing impression on him. Do this effortlessly with a perfume you love - and one he won’t be able to get enough of!

Pack a “beauty survival kit” and keep it with you, just in case. This kit should contain all emergency items and still fit safely out of sight, inside your purse. Consider including items like dental floss and/or toothpicks for stubborn broccoli, tissues, eye drops, aspirin (in case your date drives you bonkers), and toiletries in case of a surprise visit. If you are driving separately and meeting somewhere, you may wish to keep an extra pair of pantyhose in your car in case your skirt or dress gets a runner.

By Kathryn M. D’Imperio

To be a woman

1. Get to know your authentic self.

Discover the real you. Don’t blindly accept the role you were conditioned by others to fill. You have your own path to follow. Be your own independent person. Don’t allow peer pressure to force you into an inauthentic role.

2. Own your power.

Accept full responsibility for your life. Don’t live as a doormat, a sheep, or a victim. Stop giving away your power. You must accept that you’re the creator of your life and that no one is coming to rescue you. Many women stressed the importance of taking responsibility for your own financial future instead of leaving it in the hands of a spouse.

3. Find your voice.

Build the courage to express yourself authentically. Speak your truth. You deserve to be heard. If others react negatively, that’s their problem. Ask for what you want; you can’t expect others to be mind-readers. You teach others how you want to be treated — not by dropping hints but by telling them directly. If you don’t speak up for yourself, who will?

4. Find your tribe.

Consciously build and nurture a supportive network of positive relationships, including family and friends. Drop relationships that drain you; maintaining them is self-abuse. If you don’t like your current relationships, it’s up to you to change that. Surround yourself with good people who love you and inspire you. You deserve the very best relationships.

5. Practice self-care.

Avoid overwhelm by taking time to sharpen the saw. Give yourself permission to do what you enjoy. Demands from other people can wait. Accept that you can’t do everything for everyone. You can’t give to others when you’re empty inside.

6. Express your creative side.

Cultivate outlets for creative self-expression. Explore music, art, writing, poetry, etc. Build a business. Be artistic. Put your ideas into physical form.

7. Embrace conscious sexuality.

You and you alone must decide the role sex will play in your life. There are no right or wrong answers. If you want it and enjoy it, let that be enough. Different women had widely varying opinions on what kind of sexual expression they personally preferred, ranging from waiting until marriage to having guilt-free one-night stands. But the commonality was that they consciously decided and accepted what was right for them, regardless of how other people felt about it.

8. Be beautiful.

True beauty comes from the inside. It can’t be found beneath a load of cosmetics and surgical alterations. Recognize that you’re a beautiful person on the inside, and you’ll broadcast that awareness on the outside. You are beautiful.

9. Keep your heart open.

Regardless of how badly you may have been hurt in the past, keep your heart open. You’re stronger than you think. The rewards of love outweigh the risks of being hurt again. You’re here to express love, not to live in fear.

10. Become wise.

You are highly intuitive, so work on deepening your ability to trust your intuition. Keep learning and growing. In the long run, your wisdom will become one of your greatest assets, both as a way to meet your own needs and to help others. (Many women placed a very high value on developing their wisdom.)

Happiness means longer life

A scientific review found evidence that people who feel positive about life, not stressed or pessimistic, have a tendency to live longer and experience better health than their unhappy peers.  But what if you're feeling down?

Get some exercise – this will boost your feel-good hormones; phone a friend – a kind voice at the other end of the line can sometimes make you feel a thousand times better; eat something – a sandwich might make you feel better instantly, especially if your blood sugar levels are low; bury yourself in a book – there's nothing like an interesting story to take your attention off your own troubles; get out into nature – a walk on the mountain is guaranteed to lift your spirits; take a nap or a bath – often you just need some rest to perk you up.

Health24

Love vs. jealousy

Many women are flattered by lots of attention at the start of a relationship. But  no one likes feeling caged in and scrutinised in the long run. If your partner is being overly possessive and prescriptive, the hard truth might be that this has nothing to do with love, but everything with insecurity.

If your every move is watched and questioned, you are threatened with violence if you were to leave, you are constantly criticised, and you feel unable to relax and be yourself, it might be time for some serious action. This kind of situation cannot have a happy ending. And no, it doesn’t get better over time.

My Beautiful World

10 minutes a day for life

Just slowly increasing activity by just 10 minutes a day adds up weekly.  It is enough to provide health benefits, and will enhance protection against illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.

Preventing or delaying chronic disease means less doctors' bills and improves your quality of life in the here and now.  Most people know that exercise is important to maintain and improve health; however, sedentary lifestyles have become a major issue. 

Try recording your daily activity and including 10 minutes of dedicated walking each day, and get a family member, friend or colleague to join you.

Acknowledgement Health24.com