10 Foods That May Improve Your Appearance

1. Blood oranges, cherries and blueberries
Collagen is a natural protein in your skin and muscles that provides resiliency, shape and texture. Unfortunately, collagen production decreases with age— but you can fight back with dark fruit. “Blood oranges, cherries and blueberries are full of antioxidants, which decrease aging and disease by lowering inflammation. Antioxidants also increase collagen production and thicken the skin, making you look younger and healthier,” says Julia Tatum Hunter, M.D., of Skin Fitness Plus in Beverly Hills. “Antioxidants also decrease [the severity of] rosacea.” Blackberries, raspberries, plums, pomegranates, cranberries, Asian dragon fruit and kiwis also contain antioxidants.

2. Shellfish, sunflower seeds and sardines
These foods may not taste great together, but individually they offer a powerhouse of essential fatty acids. Steven Chang, M.D., staff physician for RightHealth.com, says fatty acids nourish the skin, help maintain skin integrity and keep skin cells performing optimally. “Essential fatty acids, a component of all cell membranes in the body, regulate the flow of nutrients, waste materials, and water in and out of cells—which keeps you looking young.” Flax seeds, tuna, walnuts, canola oil, soybean oil and pumpkin seeds are more good sources of essential fatty acids.

3. Dandelion, turnip and mustard greens
“Foods that keep our livers cleansed of toxins, heavy metals and fats make our whole body function more efficiently,” says Dr. Hunter. “This makes us happier, which affects how we look. Plus, a healthy liver brightens our eyes and tightens our skin.” She recommends dense green foods such as broccoli, spinach and arugula—as well as turnip, mustard and dandelion greens. Eating these slightly bitter greens has been shown to lessen your sweet tooth. Hunter warns: “Simple and refined sugars, high-glycemic carbohydrates, and refined, manufactured foods age us.” Excess sugar has been linked to a process called glycation, in which sugar molecules bond to protein molecules, which has been linked to sagging, wrinkled skin.

4. Oregano, thyme and parsley
“If you have puffy bags under your eyes in the morning, you are almost certainly consuming much more salt than you need,” says Doris Day, M.D., author of Forget the Facelift: Turn Back the Clock with a Revolutionary Program for Ageless Skin (Avery, 2005). “Another problem is alcohol: It dehydrates you and can make your skin sag. The worst combination is alcohol and salt, which causes puffy dark circles under your eyes.” Dr. Day recommends reducing your sodium intake to eliminate bloating. Instead of salt, season your meals with herbs and spices such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley and garlic.

5. Crunchy vegetables
Fresh raw veggies are as good for your grin as they are for your skin! Celery, carrots, string beans and cauliflower contain cellulose, which helps scrub stains from your teeth—giving you a whiter, brighter smile. “Both the cellulose and the [other] fiber in these foods act as abrasives that clean and remove bacteria from teeth,” says Mickey Bernstein, M.D., president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Crunchy veggies are especially effective for recent discolorations. If you’ve just consumed blueberries, coffee, mustard, red wine or cranberry juice, follow it up with fresh cucumber slices or an apple.

6. Sea vegetables
“Polluted cells can’t function at their optimum level. When our cells are functioning optimally, not only do we have more energy—we look and feel great,” says nutritionist Carol Wasserman. “Sea vegetables are one of our richest sources of minerals and phytochemicals.” These veggies help detoxify, rebuild and nourish all the cells in our body. Unhealthy foods, stress and environmental pollutants cause cells to age prematurely, potentially leading to thinning hair and premature wrinkles. “Sea vegetables reverse this process,” says Wasserman. “For example, spirulina is a ‘detox powerhouse.’ Hijiki, kelp, arame, wakame, and dulse also work wonders.”

7. Meat, cheese and lentils
It may take 10 pounds of milk to make a pound of cheese, but fortunately you don’t need to eat that much dairy or protein to repair your cells. As you age, your hair and skin cells become damaged, making you appear older. The protein in meat, chicken, low-fat cheese, cottage cheese, and certain vegetables promotes cell growth and repair, which translates to younger-looking skin, fewer wrinkles, less hair loss and a glossy mane. To take a break from meat or dairy, try soybeans and lentils instead (they contain more protein than any other legume).

8. Egg yolks, organ meats and whole-milk products
Dr. Chang says, “Vitamin A is especially important for skin repair, and decreased levels can lead to dry, flaky skin.” Dr. Day adds that a lack of vitamin A may cause your skin to heal poorly and wrinkle easily. The main sources of this vitamin are foods from animals, such as liver, eggs and whole-milk dairy products. Some plants—carrots and broccoli, for example—supply beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A as needed. Apricots, nectarines, plums and cantaloupe are more great sources of beta-carotene.

9. Almond or hemp “milk”
Almond milk is a nutritious dairy alternative because of its high levels of magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper, vitamin E, selenium and calcium. Licensed medical esthetician Tina Seitz says, “Hemp milk is a delicious, nutty-tasting non-dairy beverage that provides essential balanced nutrition. It’s a fantastic alternative to soymilk or dairy, and has a natural well-balanced ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids to keep your mind sharp, your immune system strong and your skin glowing.” Both almond and hemp milks are plant-based, and don’t contain lactose. They offer high-quality protein that can give hair a radiant, healthy shine and helps keep skin soft.

10. Wild salmon with avocado and mango dressing
This is more than a delicious meal—it’s an anti-aging feast! Stephen Sinatra, M.D., of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine says, “Wild Alaskan salmon has precious omega-3 essential fatty acids, which enhance blood flow. The pink/orange color of wild salmon is an anti-aging carotenoid called astaxanthin that protects cell membranes.” Salmon also contains dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), which improves facial muscle tone and reduces wrinkles. Add avocado for its antioxidant properties and mango (for vitamin E and anti-inflammatory carotenoids) and you’ll be sitting pretty after dinner!

source: health.msn.com

Why Pay Full Price? Let These Sites Do the Work for You

Why Pay Full Price? Let These Sites Do the Work for You Click on the Coupons tab at Drugstore.com to browse discount offers. The site shares a shopping cart with its upscale partner Beauty.com, so you pay only one shipping cost. And every three months you can redeem the “Drugstore.com dollars” earned with each purchase.

After a little price-comparison shopping, we discovered a few sites that frequently offer the lowest prices. For basics like hair dye, toothpaste, and moisturizer, go to HarmonDiscount.com. For fragrances, Costco.com listed prices usually about $10 lower than most other sites—and that included two-day shipping. You can score amazing beauty finds on eBay, but be careful.

Avoid sellers who have tons of the same brand or product. Read the sellers’ history and feedback, and compare photos of the product to images on the brand’s official website. Make sure the logo and color (even the placement of hinges on a compact) are identical to the real thing, and only buy products that are photographed in their original, plastic-wrapped packages. Makeup.com is littered with free shipping offers, promotions, and gift-with-purchase deals for hard-to-find boutique brands like Alison Raffaele, Becca, and Paula Dorf. The site also features skincare and haircare products and tools. Go to the Makeup.com beauty department, then click on promotions to see hundreds of gifts-with-purchase, free shipping offers, “Buy 3, Get 1 Free” options, and discounts—all of which change monthly.

CurrentCodes.com posts promotion codes for websites. If you hate signing up for newsletters that send out exclusive promotions, but love free shipping and discounts, check out this site before you make an online purchase. If you live in New York City or L.A., there’s an easy way to find the best-priced salon treatments. LifeBooker.com does the research for you—and offers exclusive discounts and promotions (expect up to 50 percent off.) Also, when you go back to the website to give a review of the service you received, you’ll get rewards that you can apply to future appointments.

The site hopes to expand to 20 new cities by the end of 2009. Want to trade that impulse purchase blue nail polish for a Smashbox lip gloss you’ve always wanted to try? Swap it on MakeupAlley.com. Lots of big-brand websites (like Clinique.com and Clarins.com) offer free samples and special promotions in their e-mail newsletters. If you are loyal to one brand, it’s probably worth signing up. The blog MyBeautyBerry.com sends out a weekly Beauty Flash to tell you about a new product or service and includes a contest that gives away the stuff for free (recently the site offered up 10 Olay Definity Color Recapture moisturizers, the new Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes Mascara, and 15 Napoleon Perdis NP Set foundations).

source : oprah.com

Strands of American History

It’s a kind of calligraphy, these ringlets and waves, hair combed, twisted and pinned. A first lady’s coiffure is a pattern, chosen as deliberately as the White House china, but prey to wind and rain, especially on cold Inauguration Days. It’s also prey to public opinion, should she dare to make quixotic changes in her ’do — a sign of flippancy and flip-flopping. Notice there are no flips. In the beginning, we see a newborn empire in those Josephine curls. The mid-20th century is marcelled. And in recent decades, increasingly liberated first ladies sport more leonine locks. Interestingly, there are no bangs. Perhaps this has less to do with hair and more to do with campaign promises of marital harmony and world peace.

—LAURA JACOBS, the author, most recently, of “The Bird Catcher”

Hair-Portraits of First Ladies. From left to right: Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Martha Randolph,* Dolley Madison, Elizabeth Monroe, Louisa Adams, Rachel Jackson,** Hannah Van Buren,** Anna Harrison, Letitia Tyler, Julia Tyler, Sarah Polk, Margaret Taylor, Abigail Fillmore, Jane Pierce, Harriet Lane,*** Mary Lincoln, Eliza Johnson, Julia Grant, Lucy Hayes, Lucretia Garfield, Ellen Arthur,** Frances Cleveland, Caroline Harrison, Frances Cleveland, Ida McKinley, Edith Roosevelt, Helen Taft, Ellen Wilson, Edith Wilson, Florence Harding, Grace Coolidge, Lou Hoover, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bess Truman, Mamie Eisenhower, Jacqueline Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama.

* Served as hostess for her father, Thomas Jefferson. **Died before her husband became president. *** Served as hostess for her uncle, James Buchanan. ** Served as hostess in the White House for her uncle, James Buchanan.

8 Hair Myths, Busted

Hair myths circulate like urban legends, but which horror stories are just hype? Before you toss your favorite shampoo or swear off color, separate fact from fiction.

1. True or False? Frequent Trims Make Your Hair Grow Faster
FALSE. “Hair grows from the roots, not the tips,” says Michael Wright, senior research scientist at Nexxus Salon Hair Care. A trim removes split ends to prevent them from moving farther up the hair shaft, saving you from having to cut more to eliminate the damage. Keep your hair healthy in the first place with conditioning treatments and sun and heat protectors, says Saurabh Desai, principal scientist at Aveeno Nourish+.

2. True or False? Massaging Your Scalp Stimulates Hair Growth
FALSE. “Scalp massage can increase blood circulation, decrease stress and help distribute the scalp’s natural oils onto the hair,” says Desai. “All of this may lead to better functioning of the cells that are creating hair follicles, so your hair grows at its optimal rate — however, that rate will not increase.” On average, hair grows a half inch every month.

3. True or False? Chemical Straighteners Change Your Texture Permanently
FALSE “As hair grows, your natural texture returns,” says celebrity hairstylist Serge Normant at N.Y.C.’s John Frieda Salon. After a straightening treatment, the visible hair will be permanently altered, but the chemical process can’t penetrate your roots. Likewise, daily blowout devotees might think they’ve unkinked their curls for good because hair starts to seem straighter over time, but what they’re actually seeing is damaged hair that has lost texture, not a permanent change.

4. True or False? Wearing a Ponytail in the Same Area Can Give You a Bald Spot
TRUE. “The effect is called traction alopecia. The constant tugging by a tight band can scar hair follicles and cause them to stop growing new hair,” says Doris Day, a dermatologist in N.Y.C. She suggests switching pony positions daily to alleviate tension. Tie back hair with a soft elastic band and wrap the ponytail as loosely as possible, suggests Desai. It’s not just ponytails that can be the culprit, either — headbands, braids and barrettes may result in similar damage when repeatedly worn in the same spot.

5. True or False? Brushing Your Hair Often Makes It Healthier
FALSE. Brushing your hair 100 times before bed won’t make your hair look any better. In fact, it might make it look worse. “Over-brushing can dull hair by destroying the cuticle, as well as causing split ends and breakage,” says Desai. And using the wrong tool could further harm hair. In general, plastic and metal bristles can weaken the hair cuticle and cause damage or static and flyaways, so consider switching to a gentle brush with natural boar bristles. “Stick to just enough brushing to keep your hair from becoming tangled — the brush should be able to move through the hair with ease,” says N.Y.C. celebrity hairstylist Miok. For some, that might mean as little as a few strokes just once or twice a day.

6. True or False? A Cold Rinse Adds Shine and Tames Frizz
TRUE. A blast of cold water at the end of your shower can make hair appear shinier because it temporarily helps the cuticle flatten down onto the hair shaft, explains Desai. But the results might not last if you don’t properly dry your hair. Make sure the cuticle remains flat by applying a deep conditioner or silicone-based product to seal it.

7. True or False? Hair Can Become Immune to Shampoo
FALSE. Shampoo will always do its job: clean. So why does it seem like your favorite bottle suddenly stops working? “Shampoo contains ingredients that condition and provide styling benefits, but it can also leave a residue that builds up,” says Desai. If you start to notice dullness, use a clarifying shampoo (try Nexxus Aloe Rid Gentle clarifying shampoo, $11; at drugstores) once or twice a month to remove accumulated product — any more often and you could strip hair of its healthy natural oils.

8. True or False? Coloring Can Change Your Hair’s Texture
TRUE. Temporarily, of course — but sometimes for the better. Permanent color removes the protective layer on your hair and lifts the cuticles so dyes are able to penetrate, says Desai, while semipermanent dye deposits color onto hair and is less harsh. Both methods have benefits, says N.Y.C. trichologist David H. Kingsley: “Color can swell the hair shaft and give it body.” The change is especially noticeable on women with fine or thinning hair, as well as those with gray roots.

It’s Your Call … Is Coloring Hair During Pregnancy Dangerous?
Check with your doctor first, especially if you have allergies, but “it’s probably not harmful. However, you should wait until the second half of your pregnancy when the baby is fully formed,” says Eileen Krim of Northern Obstetrics and Gynecology in North Hills, N.Y. Can’t go another second without a color fix? Krim recommends highlights “because they start a quarter inch from the scalp, where the dye isn’t being absorbed into the body.” If you’re getting your hair professionally colored, “schedule the appointment for when the salon is less crowded,” she says. “Definitely stay away from peak hours on Saturday afternoon to avoid inhaling fumes.” If you choose to color at home, wait until the third trimester. “Work in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves,” Krim says. Look for dyes that have low or no ammonia, and don’t assume that “natural” dyes are chemical-free — often these contain the same compounds found in regular hair color.

By Alonna Friedman

Top 10 Ways to Get Upgraded on a Flight

How Economy Can Turn Into Business or First Class Flying So are there any tricks to getting upgraded from economy class? Most times there are no tricks of the trade, it is often by being entitled to an upgrade if you are a very frequent flyer with an upgrade-able fare, and once in a while it is a little bit of luck. A lot of the following are also contingent on luck as it isn’t really possible to bet on which flights are going to be wildly over or under sold on any given day. That being stated, these are the top 10 ways to get upgraded that I see as an airline gate agent most often: 1. Being a top tier member of the airline’s frequent flyer program, and be in possession of a valid upgrade certificate. 2. If you aren’t a top tier member then travel with a top tier member of the airline’s frequent flyer program, and be in possession of a valid upgrade certificate. 3. And again being a top tier frequent flyer member pays – if you are a top tier member of the airlines frequent flyer program then traveling on an oversold flight will lead to more potential for a courtesy upgrade. 4. If you are traveling on a full fare ticket and traveling on an oversold flight then you also have more potential for a courtesy upgrade. 5. If you travel on a very empty flight where weight and balance is an issue the airline may require that some passengers be upgraded (best to have a seat somewhere in the middle of an aircraft for this) 6. If you are a top tier member of a partner airline’s frequent flyer such as oneworld or Star Alliance, and traveling on an oversold flight you will likely have more potential for a courtesy upgrade. 7. If a flight is oversold and you are an infrequent traveler on a cheap ticket, volunteer to give up your seat – more likely to get upgraded if not on your original flight, then the one you have been rebooked on. 8. Again, if a flight is oversold and you are traveling alone, then dress in business / casual business attire and sit off on your own, but in the sight line of the airline agent at the gate. Sometimes we need to upgrade a passenger or two at the very last minute, and a well-dressed, solo traveler is easier to upgrade than one wearing sweatpants and sneakers. 9. If you ultimately don’t care where you sit on a flight then don’t prebook your seat on an oversold flight, and check in closer to departure time. You may end up with a middle seat, or one up front. This is a really risky strategy, as gate agents will try and upgrade frequent flyers and higher priced ticket holders first. 10. A smile goes a long way. If you are nice as possible to the check-in and gate agents then sometimes if a flight is oversold and you just happen to be one of the nicest passengers that a check-in agent meets that day, they may put a comment on your passenger record such as “nice passenger if you need to upgrade”. NOT TO DO: Don’t ask for an upgrade, especially if you aren’t a frequent traveler on that particular airline. Airline agents tend to be agitated by this. Do not badger the gate agent saying that check-in said to ask for an upgrade even though you are on a reduced fare, then going on board and badgering the flight attendants. This happened on a flight where I was the gate agent and the crew was getting fed up enough that two passengers were nearly kicked off the flight. It is better to assume that if your airfare does not entitle you to an upgrade, you probably aren’t going to get one. It may happen every once in a while but not often enough to have surefire ways to get upgraded for free every time you travel.

By Arlene Fleming, About.com

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Britain is no longer a Christian nation

LONDON, June 28 – If recent trends are any guide, many Church of England parishes will have been cheered by higher attendances at Easter services. The last published statistics for 2006/7 show rises of 7 and 5 per cent in church going at Christmas and Easter.

But these figures are just about the only signs of hope for the church and certainly not the first green shoots of a revival. Other statistics make for gloomy reading. Annual decline in Sunday attendance is running at around 1 per cent.

At this rate, it is hard to see the church surviving for more than 30 years though few of its leaders are prepared to face that possibility.

In the short term we are likely to see more closures of buildings as the church battles to meet a big pension bill, pay clergy, and maintain a large bureaucracy.

To its credit, the church has been successful at getting members to give, but larger donations cannot offset the fall in numbers. At present the church is struggling to maintain 16,200 buildings, many of them old and listed with 4,200 listed Grade I.

If decline continues, Christian Research has estimated that in five years’ time church closures will accelerate from their present rate of 30 a year to 200 a year as dwindling congregations find the cost of keeping them open too great.

Perhaps the most worrying set of statistics for the Church of England is the decline in baptisms. Out of every 1,000 live births in England in 2006/7 only 128 were baptised as Anglicans.

The figure rises by a small amount if adult baptism and thanksgiving services are included but it is hard to see the Church of England being able to justify its position as the established church on the basis of these numbers.

By way of contrast, out of every 1,000 live births in England in 1900, 609 were baptised in the Church of England.

Figures for church marriages show an equally catastrophic decline. The church is being hit by a double whammy: on the one hand it confronts the challenge of institutional decline but on the other hand it has to face the rise of cultural and religious pluralism in Britain.

How it responds to the second challenge will be crucial in determining whether it will be able to survive as a viable organisation and make a contribution to national life.

At present, church leaders show little signs of understanding the situation. They don’t understand the culture we now live in. Many bishops prefer to turn their heads, to carry on as if nothing has changed, rather than face the reality that Britain is no longer a Christian nation. Many of them think that we are still living in the 1950s – a period described by historians as representing a hey day for the established church.

The coronation brought church and nation together in a way which will never be repeated. School assemblies had a definite Christian tone and children still sang familiar hymns.

The church could function as chaplain to a nation that was nominally Christian and Anglican, even if many actually only attended for baptisms, weddings and funerals.

That world has gone for good. Gordon Brown’s unilateral decision to take no part in nominating bishops to the Queen (a matter he did not discuss with David Cameron or Nick Clegg, in breach of constitutional protocol) makes it less likely that bishops will retain their place in a reformed House of Lords.

Rather than try to cling on to their places in the House of Lords, they should take the initiative by withdrawing, which would show that they appreciate Christian Britain is dead.

The church can try to fight the forces of change or it can see the crisis as an opportunity to give itself a clearer sense of identity.

One reason for increased attendance at Christmas and Easter may be that people are looking for a way of affirming identity in a pluralist society.

So far its leaders are choosing to resist but doing so in a very Anglican way: making concessions when necessary and hoping by small, strategic retreats to buy time and preserve the status quo.

The reason offered for upholding establishment is usually that it gives the church a sense of responsibility to the whole nation.

In practice it often looks as if the church is really trying to keep its special privileges on false pretences.

For a time, other faith communities may welcome the special position of the established church as a bulwark against secularism. The Chief Rabbi is a forceful defender of the valuable role the Church of England can play in bringing faith communities together and fostering understanding across creedal barriers.

But the church would be a more effective bulwark against secularism if it was stronger and the role the Chief Rabbi has mapped out is likely to disappear as different faith communities get used to dealing with each other directly.

Disestablishment will actually pose major problems for society. Every country needs shared rituals and celebrations to foster a sense of community and provide a backdrop to major national occasions.

We are going to have to invent a new civil religion. Already the process has begun with the observance of Holocaust Day and increasing focus on Human Rights as providing a shared basis for morality.

If Anglicans could acquire a stronger sense of who they are and what they believe they might slow the rate of decline and possibly even stabilise their numbers. They would still be a minority but they could be a creative minority.

The trick will be to reach this situation without falling into a fundamentalist trap or cutting off links with the wider world. Other organisations, particularly Roman Catholics with their three-hundred year history of persecution and minority status, can be a guide, showing both the dangers to avoid and the opportunities to seize. – Daily Telegraph

The Dangers of Drinking Non-Alcoholic Beer

They call it “near beer” and it may be nearer than you think.
Those trying to abstain from alcohol are warned against the use of non-alcoholic beer, now there may be scientific evidence to support the admonition.

Recently in a topic discussion in our Alcoholism Forum, a visitor was given many different reasons why others had decided not to try so-called non-alcoholic beer, if they wanted to remain sober. Avoiding the temptation was the reason most often offered.

Other than the fact that all “NA” beer does contain a small amount of alcohol, there is now a new study out that seems to support the theory that it can cause a relapse for recovering alcoholics.

In the November issue of the Journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, a team of California scientists report that smell may be enough to trigger cravings and a subsequent relapse among certain alcoholics.

In their laboratory experiments, rats were trained to self-administer alcohol or a bitter, white substance called quinine when they smelled either orange or banana. The smell of banana was used when the rats consumed alcohol, while the smell of orange was presented to them when the rats tasted quinine.

Both alcohol and the anticipation of alcohol may raise levels of a brain chemical called dopamine, which plays a role in feelings of elation and pleasure, according to the investigators. The researchers found increases in dopamine in the rats’ brains before and after smelling these “alcohol-related cues.” One visitor to our Forum said her family member seemed to develop the same attitudes and behavior while drinking NA Beer as he used to do when he was drinking the real stuff. This finding could help explain that phenomenon.

The California study has been cited by scientists as an important step in the possible development of medications that may prevent relapse. As many as 90 percent of alcoholics will experience one relapse in the four years after they quit drinking, according to statistics from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Dr. Friedbert Weiss from The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, said, “This is our study’s significance: it provides a reliable tool that allows us to investigate brain mechanisms and neurochemical systems so that we can embark on a more educated approach to find effective medications.”

In the meantime, the best advice for those trying to remain sober, would be to stay away from anything that even smells like alcohol.

By Buddy T, About.com

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What Does Your Hair Say About You?

When left to its own devices, my hair is sort of a cross between Shirley Temple’s and Sarah Jessica Parker’s: long, blonde, and full of ringlets. In the ’80s heyday of spiral perms, having naturally curly hair seemed kind of cool.

People always assume my personality is just as bouncy and cheerful as my hair. When I’m lost and need directions, or when I’m trying to charm a new boyfriend’s mom, that persona certainly works in my favor. But to some, curly hair just looks, well, unserious. During one of my first job interviews after college, to be an assistant at a foreign consulate, my potential new boss gave me a backhanded compliment about how “brave” I was to come in without a blowout. She proceeded to explain that she rose early every morning to straighten her own hair. I didn’t get the job.

Now, as a single 31-year-old, I wear my hair long and coiled for more practical reasons. Chiefly because, after so many years of going au naturel, I suspect I might not be dexterous enough to blow it out myself — or maybe I’m just too lazy.

But a few weeks ago, while getting my highlights touched up, seated across from a woman with the most glorious pin-straight mane, I was struck with hair envy. What would such a sleek look do for me? To find out, I booked a series of blowouts with stylist David Evangelista at his salon in Manhattan’s Cornelia Day Resort.

I get cold feet on my first visit — am I betraying my curly roots? Will I look like I’m trying too hard? — but David says I should embrace my advantage: “When you’re curly, you can go straight. But when you’re straight, curls don’t always hold. Be versatile — that’s how your style evolves.”

I’m amazed at how little time it takes — less than a half-hour with a T3 Tourmaline Wet-to-Dry Flat Iron, no blowdryer needed — and even more in awe of my hair. My usual long layers, shaped for my curls, work just as well stretched out. Styled straight, my hair projects everything natural curls don’t: It looks silky and expensive, not cute and quirky. It’s like turning a monogrammed L.L.Bean tote into a Birkin. I appear a lot more polished and professional — and with hair that now falls halfway down my back, I feel pretty sexy, too.

I walk (OK, strut) out of the salon, swinging my mane back and forth as I make my way down Fifth Avenue. A woman on the street even snaps a photo of my hair with her camera phone to show to her stylist.

Back at home in Brooklyn, I run into my first straight-hair problem: None of my clothes suit me anymore. As much as I love my ringlets, they are attention hogs — it’s what everyone immediately notices about me. I tend to stick to a wardrobe of dark colors and minimal makeup to let my curls be the star. But with my new straight hair, I can pull off something edgier than the usual minidress-with-cardigan look. So I put on suede ankle boots, skinny jeans, and a shrunken leather jacket. I’m also wearing eyeliner for the first time this decade.

That night I get a call from N., the brother of an old friend whom I’ve harbored a minor crush on since high school; he wants to catch up over a drink. “Whoa, you don’t look like yourself,” says N. when I arrive at the bar. And I’m not acting like myself, either — after a few drinks and much hair tossing, we end up kissing good-bye and promise to do it again next time he comes to town.

By Melissa Meltzer

Is It Good to Rinse Hair in Cold Water?

Answer: The jury is no longer out on rinsing hair with cold water. According to much of my research, rinsing hair with cold water at the end of a shower closes the cuticle. This creates a healthy, shiny appearance, apparently. Many experts believe blasting hair with cold air also works by smoothing hair. This is why most dryers come with a cool air button.

By Julyne Derrick, About.com

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Hometrik, rediscover home excitement

Also visit to www.hometrik.com malaysia , for more exciting home and lifestyle ideas.
Hometrik, rediscover home excitement

Do You Really Need to Wash Hair Twice?

Question: Do You Really Need to Wash Hair Twice?

Answer: I challenge you to find a shampoo bottle that doesn’t contain the directions to “rinse and repeat” (or some version of that). But should you? I have to wash my hair twice because it’s very thick. So I say use common sense: If you have short hair, a good initial wash will do you. If you have long or really thick hair (like me), a second coat may be optimal. Personally, I’ve always wondered if companies put that on the back to get you to use more shampoo.

Answer: I challenge you to find a shampoo bottle that doesn’t contain the directions to “rinse and repeat” (or some version of that). But should you? I have to wash my hair twice because it’s very thick. So I say use common sense: If you have short hair, a good initial wash will do you. If you have long or really thick hair (like me), a second coat may be optimal. Personally, I’ve always wondered if companies put that on the back to get you to use more shampoo.

By Julyne Derrick, About.com