How to quick fix your messy bed head

Washing, blow drying, straightening or curling your hair every day can be very annoying and time consuming. There are those days where our hair is flat, oily or dull and going through the whole hair routine is just not a possibility. Sometimes all you need is a little bit of primping to revive your hair back to its beautiful state.

1.) Oily Bed Head

Oil starts at the root of the hair but that doesn't mean you should allow yourself to turn into a grease ball. The days of "Grease Lightening" are a trend that's long gone! To aid your oily roots, apply a small amount of baby powder to the root and scalp area. Massage into the hair and fluff excess powder out. This will allow your natural oils to be absorbed by the powder and leave you smelling baby clean!

2.) Dead Flat Do

Whether it's your pillow or gravity sometimes your hair just falls dead flat. Often we result in re-washing and drying to get the life back in our hair, but you don't have to go through this anymore. Flip your head upside down and mist the crown of your head with hair spray. Before the spray dries, circulate a blow dryer throughout your hair. The heat with the help of the hair spray will help to pump up your volume.

3.) Tease and Toss

Another way you can revive your bed head is by using a simple teasing technique. Spray the roots of your hair with hair spray. Place a fine toothed comb against the first four inches of the base of your scalp. Stroke the comb in an up and down motion against the grain of the hair. After completing about five or ten teasing motions, pull the comb through the underside of the hair to one time to give it one last fluff.

Now you have the ease of rolling out bed with care free hair. Sleep tight!

Don't want to break a nail? Give your nails the attention they deserve.

Your nails end up taking the brunt of daily wear and tear. It's no wonder why they sometimes get cracked and brittle. There are several easy steps you can perform from home to strengthen your nails and get them looking healthy and strong.

• Whiten your nails (similar to whitening your teeth)

1. Mix one teaspoon of baking soda, coarse salt and lemon juice together with enough hydrogen peroxide to make a thick paste.
   
2. Leave the whitening paste on your nails for approximately 20 minutes.
3. Wash the hands with warm water and rub olive oil over your nails to help restore healthy nail texture and shine.

• Cod liver oil - I know it may sound rather repulsive at first, but make it in orange and mint flavor for a refreshing scent.

1. To moisturize nails on a weekly or daily basis try using cod liver oil. It's cheap, easy, and available at almost any drug store. I prefer the orange flavor.
   
2. Rub a dab of cod liver oil onto each nail and massage into the nails. Allow the oil to set in for about five-ten minutes and then rinse off with warm water.

• Sought out polish- when you need a quick fix hit the store and pick up OPI nail envy. The Nail Envy line was created to improve and strengthen the fingernail with several options for different nail types.

The Mayo Clinic suggest taking some precautionary measures to give your nails some extra care:

• Don't abuse your nails. Don't use your fingernails as tools to pick or pry things apart, you could be causing some serious damage.
• Protect your nails. Wear cotton-lined rubber gloves when using heavy cleaning soaps ro chemicals. This is usually half the cause of damaged nails.
  
• Don't bite your nails or pick at your cuticles. Doing so can damage the nail bed. Even a minor cut alongside your nail can allow bacteria or fungi to enter the nails bed and cause infection. Your nails grow slowly, therefore an injured nail can retain signs of injury for several months.
• Moisturize frequently. Nails need moisture just like our skin does. Apply a moisturizer each time you wash your hands or are use harsh chemicals.
  
• Make time for routine nail maintenance. Trim fingernails and clean underneath the nail on a regular basis. Never pull off hangnails! Pulling off hangnails usually results in ripping living tissue. Instead clip hangnails off, leaving a slight angle outward.

Soon enough you'll be showing off your nails to everyone!

Make yourself a fruity face masks

I remember when I was a teenager and my friends and I would try to invent our own facial mask at sleep over parties. We had so much fun coming up with such wild creations. The fun doesn't have to stop now! There are several fruits, oils and oats out there that can be transformed into a fabulous facial mask.

Try one of the recipes below to attain silky soft skin with a healthy glow.

Avocado Addiction: is great for people with dry skin because it will help penetrate deep moisture

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ripe avocado, mashed
  
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 3 drops cider vinegar
• sesame oil (measure to eye)

1. Mix the avocado, honey and vinegar together and add enough sesame oil to create a spreadable consistency.
   
2. Spread the mask over your cleansed face and leave on for five to ten minutes.
3. Rinse off with warm water and pat skin dry with a soft towel.
   
4. If you have toner you can apply it to the face and then apply moisturizer as usual.
   

The Gracious Grapefruit: this works great for oily skin and will help to clean out any excess oils

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon grapefruit juice
• 1 teaspoon sour cream
• 1 egg white

1. Beat the egg white until it's smooth and fluffy.
   
2. Blend the beaten egg white, sour cream and grapefruit juice together in a bowl.
3. Apply to your face and allow it to rejuvenate your skin for about 15 minutes.
   
4. Rinse with warm water, pat softly dry and then use any toner and moisturizer as you would normally do.
   

So the next time you go to try out one of these facial mask, make sure to call your friends over for a full night of fun and pampering!

Don't forget to add some of these amazing beauty buys to your wish list this holiday

With the winter holidays almost here, it's time to start thinking about gift giving and what you want to add to your wish list this season. I have the five best beauty buys that you won't want to miss as the month of December approaches.

1.) Sephoras Ultimate Blockbuster Collectors Edition definitely serves as number one on the wish list. This blockbuster has over 71 eye shadows, 13 cream shadows, five blushes, one compact powder, 60 lip glosses, one lip liner, one eyeliner, four brushes, three sponge dipped applicators and it all comes in a classy black case. This normally values at $320 BUT, this holiday season you can get this fabulous cosmetic creation for only $48. This day in age, it's hard to find five quality eye shadows for $48, but now you can have a whole pack! The majority of consumers have been extremely happy with their purchase:

Female, age 25
"A birthday present to myself ... and one of the best gifts this year!! I'd been buying eye shadows here and there, but this is a fantastic set. I was nervous that it might not be the greatest quality, but it went beyond my expectations!"

Female, age 45
"I bought four of these, one for me, my friend, my daughter and sister. Gave them all as gifts. I just love the products and my husband even commented at how nice my eyes looked since I started using all the colors. This is a great value for the price and makes for a wonderful gift to yourself or someone else."

2.) Mac cosmetics always have something special to offer for the holidays. This year you won't be able to resist their Little Darlings five piece lip gloss set. The darlings lip set is part of their new holiday "Red" collection. This glossed up gift is bound to bring out the inner sexy and fun in anyone. I like the coral color line, but if your have very pale skin then I suggest pink set. The five piece set comes packaged in a glossy red-orange patent cylinder-shaped gift box with a lift-off lid and retails for $29.50.

3.) Massage Envy offers an hour massage at only $39 for first time clients, which can be also used in the form of a gift certificate. Their hour massage is normally valued at $60. Quite the bargain! This is a great way to show yourself or someone you love how much you truly appreciate them. Everyone deserves a little pampering now and then!

4.) If you'd like to stay more in the $20 range,Bath & Body Works offers a variety of options for gift goers and wish list. Their product line by C.O. Bigelow has become one of my ultimate favorites and this holiday season they have created the perfect gift pack, the Can't Live Without Mentha Kit for $19.50. The kit includes Mentha Body Vitamin Wash, Mentha Body Vitamin Body Buffer, Mentha Body Vitamin Lotion, Mentha Lip Shine and a Special Bonus Card ($5 off any COB product). The mentha bigelow line is bursting with fresh cool mint scent and flavor to refresh you even on your most vigorous days. Users gave the product 5 out of 5 stars.

One user posted, "This product is one of the best (if not the best) I have ever bought from Bath and Body works! You HAVE to get it! the smell is great and so are the moisturizing nutrients!"

5.) Victoria Secret also has several great gift ideas. I always love getting perfume for special occasions. It's one of those things that makes you feel feminine and sexy yet you rarely buy it for yourself so why not add it to the wish list. Victoria Secret has put together the Must-have Eau de Parfum Gift Box. The box consist of seven perfumes, Dream Angels Heavenly, Dream Angels Wish, Very Sexy, Sexy Little Things, Body By Victoria The Fragrance, Sexy Little Things Ooh La La and Victoria's Secret Pink. Although a little pricier at $40 a box, it's still a steal for seven perfumes!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Obtain a movie-star smile without spending a fortune

Teeth are a major priority when it comes to beauty and sometimes the first thing a person notices when they look at your face. All of us desire a glistening movie start smile. After all, nothing says gross more than a stained set of yellow and brown teeth. I understand that professional teeth whitening can be very costly which is exactly why I want to share with you some easy at home remedies to get your teeth glistening white in no time.

• Baking Soda- not something you imagine putting in your mouth, but once you see it's beautifying magic, you'll make sure to keep in on the grocery list.
  

1. Mix about one tablespoon of baking soda with a little less than one tablespoon of water in a small Dixie cup, dip the tip of your toothbrush in the solution and lightly brush your teeth.
   
2. Make sure to spit out all the baking soda and rinse your mouth thoroughly with water.
   
3. Follow this procedure one to two times a week depending on how stained your teeth are. Make sure to give your teeth a rest period after three weeks of whitening.

• Hydrogen Peroxide- is actually used in professional teeth whitening. You can buy this liquid at any drug store for less than a dollar. There are two ways you can apply the peroxide for your teeth. If you have sensitive gum's then use the cotton ball method.
  

1. Cotton ball- brush your teeth as you normally do and then dip a cotton swab into the peroxide and gently rub it into your teeth. Try not to swallow any of the solution. Spit out what's left in your mouth and rinse a few times with water.
   
2. Swishing- brush your teeth as you normally do and then swish some of the hydrogen peroxide in your mouth for a minute. Spit it out and then rinse thoroughly. It's natural to feel a little bit of tingling.
   

• Stawberries- usually are more of pain then anything when it comes to our teeth. The littles seeds in strawberries can require a lot of flossing. Something many of us may not know is that strawberries contain natural teeth whitening agents.

1. Take a few strawberries and mash them into a paste using a fork or food processor.
2. Use a clean toothbrush or your finger to apply the paste to the teeth, to form a thick layer. Leave the paste on for three-five minutes.
3. Rinse off the strawberry paste thoroughly and make sure to rid any seeds. Brush your teeth using a fluoride toothpaste. It's important to use a fluoride toothpaste to handle any of the acid in the strawberries.

You have now created an at-home tooth whitening system that should cost you no more than five dollars. Now go out and flaunt that smile!

Discover the diet of youth to obtain naturally glowing skin

With each birthday, comes aging and with aging comes wrinkles. I have found the fountain of youth to keep all of us fresh and glistening. Okay, so it might not be an actual fountain of youth, but it's pretty close!

Sometimes starting from the inside is the best way to obtain true beauty on the outside. Nutritionist expert Joy Bauer says that nutrition can help minimize or prevent wrinkles and acne while enhancing your skin's natural beauty. Her secret is to follow a very rich diet, containing antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and plenty of water. So how do we travel back in time to our youthful years? Here's how:

• Stock up on fruits and veggies that are rich in Vitamin C such as peppers, oranges, strawberries, lemons, and broccoli. Vitamin C is involved in collagen production and protects cells from free radical damage.
• Start to load your shelves with wheat germ, fortified cereals, nuts, olives and seeds. These foods contain Vitamin E. Vitamin E helps protect cell membranes and guard the body against UV radiation damage, enhancing the protection of anti-aging skin.
• Similar to Vitamin E, Selenium helps preserve the skin from sun damage and delays aging by protecting skin quality and elasticity. You can find Selenium in Brazilian nuts, tuna (canned, light in water), red meat, eggs, liver, crab, wheat germ and garlic.
• I never though fat could be good for you, but apparently Omega-3 fats are something you should be eating . Omega-3 fatty acids help maintain cell membranes so that they serve as an effective wall, allowing water and nutrients in while keeping toxins out. Good sources of Omega-3 are oily fish, sardines, salmon, flax seeds, and walnuts. If your not a seafood person than try taking fish oil tablets, you won't even sense the taste.

Here's a recipe combining all the key elements to bring you back to your youthful appearance. Combine all of the following ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

The Smoothie of Youth

• 2 cold oranges, peeled and cut into sections.

• 1/2 chopped mango, cold

• 1/2 cup sliced frozen (unsweetened) strawberries

• 1 medium carrot, peeled, shredded

• 1/2 cup plain, non-fat yogurt, chilled

• 2 tablespoons wheat germ

• 2 tablespoons ground flax seed

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Now that you know what essentials you need, play around with the ingredients and create your own recipe. Drink up, enjoy and watch yourself travel through time.

*For fun: see if you can envision both the old women and the young lady in this picture. There are two ways of seeing it.