The Shea Body Bar from The Natural Newborn arrived packaged tightly in a draw string bag, and my first thought was how great it smelled. I chose "Frozen Margarita", but there are other choices on the website. Ingredients and reordering information were on the side of the package, making it easy for me to order this fantastic soap again.

I was amazed how great this soap really was! Not only is it natural, but it lathers well and leaves skin extremely soft. There’s no "film" left on your skin like other natural soaps leave. It also is a natural white, leaving out unnatural dyes or color additives.

The Natural Newborn specializes in natural baby products. However, they have an excellent line of products for toddlers and moms as well. The Shea Body Bar I had the pleasure of trying out is currently listed under "Handcrafted Soaps".

On their website you’ll also find "Mommy’s Mini Spa", which has products such as facial care, body care, and other products just for mom. Under "Toddler Tub" you’ll see items such as hand soaps, skin & body care, bug repellents, and other items for toddlers or older children.

For details on all the wonderful items The Natural Newborn offers, visit http://thenaturalnewborn.com

About the Author: Kara Kelso is the owner of Mom’s Market, a family friendly shopping directory featuring product reviews. For more reviews, please visit: http://www.momsmarketonline.com

In times of rapid change, constants lend comfort to our lives. Since ancient times, jewelry has been one of the most popular gifts to give and to receive, and it still ranks among the top gifts as a universal, particularly pearls and birthstones. Jewelry ranks just beneath flowers as the gift that says "I love you," and it ranks just above flowers as a gift to convey that the recipient is someone special. A gift of jewelry delights the recipient and evokes a genuine smile.

It’s the Style…

It’s not the price; it’s the style that determines whether your gift of jewelry is received in the same spirit in which it is given. To give jewelry that delights, match the gift to the recipient’s style. Jewelry is one area where you cannot give a gift that you would love to own. Your idea of a fashionable bauble may be another’s idea of junk. Is the intended’s style casual or more formal, traditional or contemporary? You wouldn’t give a Swatch watch to your great-grandmother any more than you would give a diamond tennis bracelet to your Goth niece. Select a compatible style and your gift will stand out among the recipient’s favorites and ensure that the gift never finds its way to the regifting closet.

The Many Faces of Pearls

Any woman over the age of 30 appreciates a fine strand of pearls. They’re elegant, timeless, and suitable for most occasions. Think back to your favorite old movies; most leading ladies wore pearls at some point during the movie.

Pearls are the only gemstone created within another living organism. Natural pearls are grown without any human intervention when a speck of sand or other irritant lodges itself inside an oyster. Deteriorating environmental conditions have rendered natural pearls all but obsolete.

Cultured pearls have quickly filled the void. The only difference between a natural pearl and a cultured pearl is that human intervention is required to place the irritant inside the oyster shell. By controlling the size and shape of the irritant as well as the environmental factors, cultured pearls guarantee greater quality control. You’ll find pearls in many hues ranging from white South Sea pearls to black Tahitian pearls, and covering a lot of territory in between: pink, green, blue and ivory.

Freshwater pearls sport a combination of interesting shapes and hues not usually found in saltwater varieties. Freshwater pearls come from Chinese rivers and lakes where the Hyriopsis cumingi mussels can produce 50 pearls at once. They are usually less expensive than saltwater pearls, but no less elegant than their saltwater counterpart.

Birthstones

Precious and semi-precious gems linked to birthdays date as far back as the 15th century. Unlike today, early birthstones were linked to the signs of the Zodiac instead of to calendar months. Almost everyone appreciates a birthstone, and it shows that you actually put some thought into the gift. Many people believe that wearing their birthstone protects them and brings them good luck. When giving a birthstone as a gift, think beyond rings to bracelets, pendants, earrings, pins and chokers.

The chart below contains the official modern birthstones, as established in 1912 by the National Association of Jewelers. Some birthstones have many legends associated with them; you’ll find a brief summary below. This official list applies only to the United States. Several other birthstone lists exist, such as the mystical birthstones, which originated in Tibet and the Ayurvedic birthstones, which originated in India.

Month Birthstone

January Garnet

-Associated with blood, garnet provides victory, protection from injury and health and brings constancy

February Amethyst

-Said to have been worn by St. Valentine, amethyst signifies spirituality and sincerity

March Aquamarine

-The stone of serenity and courage, also associated with water

April Diamond

-Banishes evil, promotes goodness, improves financial situations - the world’s favorite precious gem also signifies pure and eternal love, innocence

May Emerald

-Brings harmony, the stone of life and renewal, love and success

June Pearl

-Purity, chastity and modesty, health and longevity

July Ruby

-Devotion, integrity and success - contentment

August Peridot

-Dignity, success and fame – married happiness

September Sapphire

-Clears the mind and brings prosperity and clear thinking

October Opal

-Happiness, beauty, love, magic - hope

November Topaz

-Brings wisdom and strength of mind, fidelity

December Turquoise

-Good fortune and prosperity

Enclose a card with the gift explaining the meaning of the birthstone. While most people know their birthstone, few know the significance attached to it.

If you want to give jewelry as a gift, but you’re at a loss for what to give, pearls and birthstones provide two safe options that are sure to please and make a lasting impression.

M J Plaster is a successful author who provides information on shopping online for jewelry and jewelry gifts. M J Plaster has been a commercial freelance writer for almost two decades, most recently specializing in home and garden, the low-carb lifestyle, investing, and anything that defines la dolce vita.

Trying to find the simplest way to order your contact lenses may have been a difficult feat in the past, but not anymore. With the world wide web so easily accessible to many, the availability of ordering the perfect contact lens online is great. The following paragraphs will give some valuable tips for locating contact lens online retailers and purchasing them from your computer.

There are many contact lens online retailers, that offer their contact lenses for purchase via the internet. These contact lens online retailers have their own web pages, where there are descriptions of the different contact lens types available for purchase and the different contact lens styles. Most contact lens online retailers will also offer contact lens cases, cleaning solution, and other contact lens supplies for purchase.

Generating a list of contact lens online retailers is a simple procedure that can be done by utilizing any search engine. By entering "contact lens online retailer" into the search engine of choice, and hitting the search button, a list of links will appear for contact lens online retailers. Clicking the different links in this list will lead to individual web pages for contact lens online retailers. From there, browsing the contact lens online retailer web page should be simple.

Most contact lens online retailers have web pages that are easy to maneuver. Most of the vital information will be found on the home page, and the other information will be just as easy to view. A majority of contact lens online retailers will provide simple instructions to follow for purchasing contact lenses online, and credit card information is almost always a requirement for payment, although some contact lens online retailers will be willing to send a bill with the shipment.

Ordering contact lenses has never been simpler. The World Wide Web has made it possible to purchase contact lenses through the computer. By searching the internet for contact lens online retailers, it is possible to order new contact lenses without even leaving home. With, and sometimes without a credit card, contact lens online retailers are eager to provide their services to make purchasing contact lenses a more convenient task.

If you are ready to get started, click the first link to a contact lens site you find and see what they offer!

Mansi aggarwal recommends that you visit http://www.Discount-Lenses.com for more information on contact lenses.

A beauty salon will help you look your very best with a price that will fit in almost any budget. A beauty salon will be able to make your hair, skin, toes, and fingernails look marvelous. In addition, most beauty salons offer their services for a fairly reasonable price. However, sometimes it may be difficult to choose what service you want. If that is the case, simply be on the lookout for any fashion style that you like. Look through magazines and cut out photos of styles and colors that you find pleasing. Take notes so that when you do go to a beauty salon, you will know exactly what you want. However, be aware that some beauty salons are better than others. To make sure that you are in high-quality beauty salon, check to see if it has clean beauty salon equipment and a clean work area. Also, be aware that in most states, beauty salons are required to publicly display their establishment license. If the salon or barbershop won’t show you an establishment license, you don’t know whether the shop’s health and safety procedures have been approved by the state.

Time saving Beauty Salon Tips.

A beauty salon visit can be time consuming. To get the most from your visit and still have time left in your day, try these time-trimming tips. Before you leave your beauty salon, schedule your next appointment. Call ahead on your appointment day to see if your stylist is running on time. If not, you won’t have to waste time sitting at the beauty salon when you could be home. If you want to be quickly in and out for your beauty salon appointment, try to schedule the first appointment for the day.

About The Author

Mike Yeager

Publisher

http://www.a1-beauty-4u.com/

Some of the more popular methods of temporary hair removal are Shaving, Waxing, Depilatory Creams and Threading. It can be hard to decide which method to use. What suits one woman may not be the right hair removal solution for another. What does each method involve?

Shaving

Shaving is the cheapest and fastest way to remove unwanted body hair. Its downside is that it only last for a few days at most. Shaving only removes the hair above the skin line so its needs to be done on a regular basis to maintain smooth skin. Depending on your rate of hair growth you may need to shave underarm hair more often as it grows faster than leg hair.

Although wet shaving is best, don’t allow your skin to soak for too long as this causes it to swell slightly and wrinkle which makes getting a close, clean shave more difficult.

Waxing

The longest lasting temporary hair removal method is waxing. It’s the most effective method to remove hair on the legs and thighs. You can expect hairs to grow back over a three to six week period. Hair can be pulled out from the root after warm wax enters the follicle. Waxing can be painful for anyone with sensitive skin and before waxing again hair most grow back by about 1cm.

Before the actual waxing a preconditioning lotion should be used. The hot wax is then applied to the skin and covered with strips of cloth. As the wax hardens around the hair strands the strips of cloth are quickly pulled away. As this is done the skin is pulled taunt opposite to the direction the cloth strip will be pulled from.

Pain is obviously subjective but most women find waxing only mildly painful. Probably the best advice is to try and relax! Once you have had several wax treatments the easier it will become.

Depilatory Creams.

If you want to remove unwanted hair fast then depilatory creams may be a solution. They basically contain a chemical that reacts with the keratin that makes up hair. Once applied this allows the hair to be wiped away from the skin line.

It’s often best to first apply a warm wash cloth to the area you are going to treat. This softens the hair and opens up the hair follicles. As some people can be sensitive to depilatory creams you should first test a small area on the forearm.

This type of hair removal should last for several days.

Threading

Threading is a method of hair removal where a doubled up strand of cotton is twisted around individual hairs. The cotton is then used to pull the hair out from the roots. Threading is now quite common in the United states but it’s origins lie in an ancient Middle Eastern technique. It’s mainly used on upper lips and eyebrows and is faster than tweezing.

Martin Lloyd has commented on health and beauty matters for many years. For other practical advice, tips and hair removal information visit http://www.hair-removal-123.com/hair-removal-articles.php

Mac cosmetics are just the type of cosmetics women are looking for. Mac cosmetics can change you, in a matter of minutes, from the average looking, ordinary, girl-next-door into a stunning beauty. Mac cosmetics have a whole range of makeup, haircare, and skincare products for you. For that special evening out, all you need is your set of Mac cosmetics and some time in front of the mirror. However, Mac cosmetics are, after all, only cosmetics. As soon as you remove your makeup, the beautiful old you seems to disappear. How would you feel about having a glowing complexion, lovely skin and a head of shining, healthy hair - all achieved without constantly using makeup? Sound good? Well, it’s true, and is now very much achievable! Mac cosmetics have recently introduced skin care products that will make your skin glow radiantly without constantly putting on makeup. In addition, they have developed products that will make your hair and complexion beautiful all day long without any makeup. In fact, tests conducted on a group of healthy, female volunteers with age ranging from 40 to 65 years old exhibited clear signs of improvements in wrinkle reduction, skin softness, hydration, smoothness and firmness when using these new Mac cosmetics.

Choosing the Mac Cosmetic that is right for you.

It can be difficult sometime to know what Mac makeup cosmetic is right for you. Some Mac cosmetics can be very expensive. If you are looking to find cheap Mac cosmetics, try buying Cosmetic Mac wholesale. Come, try these new Mac cosmetic products that are completely safe and natural and you too will find the joy of looking the best you can.

About The Author

Mike Yeager

Publisher

http://www.a1-beauty-4u.com/

Coupons have been around since at least 1894 when Asa Candler, a drugist, passed out slips of paper for a free glass of his brand new drink, Coca-Cola. Today, the enlightened consumer knows the value of using coupons to save money and to enjoy being able to partake of services that may well have been unobtainable absent the coupon. With the growth of the Internet, many now seek their printable coupons from the world wide web.

Savvy Businesses use coupons to attract new customers. Tanning Salon owners are truly people oriented and fully understand the need to keep their customer base pleased with high quality friendly service and a near hospital standard of sanitation in the salon. They also know they must market their tanning salon to garner new clientele.

The big question for most business owners is: "Where do I get the biggest bang for my marketing buck?"

One means to analyze alternatives to ascertain just where the biggest bang comes from is to cost out the marketing plan for various media. For the coupons to go tanning for free one might look at print media such as newspapers, magazines, billboards, or even at radio and television. For the tanning salon owner, these usually prove cost prohibitive except in some smaller local markets.

Direct mail is certainly an option and can be anything from hand written postcards to exquisite pre-printed cards. E-mail has proven to be a very profitable means to advertise. For the latter two, the list is the key to the success of direct mailing and e-mail. For direct mail, a business owner can develop a list from their local phone book or pay a hefty fee to a list broker for a targeted mailing list or do something in-between.

So that we can use an example, please indulge me this, let us assume that three business owners each have paid for a list, printing, postage and handling for 1000 coupon postcards and each business owner’s total cost came to $730. The first business owner’s mailing list was a cold mailing list meaning a bunch of names and addresses to somebody somewhere. The first business owner received the usual cold-list response rate of about one-half of one percent which resulted in five brand new customers. The second business owner had a bit better list and was able to enjoy the national coupon redemption rate of about three percent resulting in thirty new customers walking in their door to redeem their coupons. The third business owner had a highly targeted mailing list of known local tanners who were looking for a new salon and they enjoyed a response rate of thirteen and two-tenths percent resulting in one-hundred and thirty-two new customers.

Obviously, five new customers is better than none. Thirty new customers is better than five. And, one-hundred and thirty-two new customers is better than thirty. Another way to say this is that the first business received five new customers for a $730 marketing expenditure or paid $146 per customer who walked through their door to redeem their coupon. The second business received thirty new customers for a $730 marketing expenditure or paid $24.33 per customer who walked through their door to redeem their coupon. The third business received one-hundred and thirty-two new customers for a $730 marketing expenditure or paid $5.55 per customer who walked through their door to redeem their coupon.

With e-mail one can make the same value argument for e-mail lists as above with one very large additional risk and that is called SPAM. SPAM can result in e-mail restrictions to shutting down an entire website.

In the early 1980’s the tanning industry was a baby. Now it is a fully grown mature industry and the answer to the question of where a salon owner gets the biggest bang for their coupon marketing buck lies somewhere else than in the same identical coupons their competition is handing out. While one may well have a great list, today’s consumer recognizes and receives many coupon offers. In 2000 there were nearly 4.5 billion coupons circulated in the United States alone. Roughly eighty percent of those making between $25,000 and $75,000 per year use coupons some time and folks with these income levels can afford to tan.

Continuing our example above, to the salon owner, is it worth spending $146 or $24.33 or even $5.55 per customer to distribute first time tanner coupons that almost every salon gives away or standard referral coupons or birthday coupons or buy three get one free UV Free airbrush tanning coupons? It occurred to us that salon owners and tanners may be better served by making these tanning industry standard coupons available to everyone for free off a website.

The tanner enjoys the benefit of the coupon to go tanning for free. The salon owner enjoys the benefit of not having to spend hard earned cash to pay for advertising common to most all tanning salons and the website enjoys a few more hits. That is called cooperative advertising. Please visit our website soon so you can enjoy your own coupons to go tanning for free.

Cecil Taylor, Joint Venture with A Wholesale Tanning Supply. http://www.MovieStarTanning.com

After finding the right foundation shade, choosing mascara is probably the next most challenging beauty task. Sure, there are less color options, but quality of the product is what will make the difference in the way you look.

Volume building, lengthening, clump-free, hypoallergenic… Will your eyelashes look longer, become curlier or fuller? Will the mascara go on smoothly without clumps and stay on without flaking for many hours to come? In other words, will it live up to the promise, or all these words are nothing more than money-making tricks? In most cases, you will know the answer only after you trade your hard earned money for the little pretty tube.

Lengthening Mascaras

These usually do make your eyelashes a tiny bit longer. This is achieved by the addition of ingredients that build up on the tip of the lashes. Actually, any mascara will visually lengthen the eyelashes. In most people (at least those who feel they need mascara), the tips of eyelashes are lighter and sometimes invisible. When you apply mascara, you show off the real length of your eyelashes. What a nice surprise! If that is still not enough, a lengthening mascara will help.

Volume Building Mascara

If you desire fuller lashes, this is the kind of mascara you need. The effect is provided by the higher concentration of waxes in the formula. They encapsulate each lash, making it more prominent.

Waterproof Mascara

As the name suggests, waterproof mascara stays intact even in contact with water. Synthetic polymers, included in the formula, instantly freeze around each lash, creating a water resistant barrier. There is a downside, though. Waterproof mascaras usually make eyelashes pretty stiff. In addition, waterproof mascara will rarely perform for more than 3 months, becoming flaky afterwards. Choosing a mascara that is truly water resistant can also be tricky, and the price is not always the true indicator of quality.

Hypoallergenic Mascaras

Hypoallergenic mascaras are formulated to reduce the odds of triggering an allergic reaction. Fragrances are known to be the most aggressive allergy causing components in cosmetics, so they are excluded from hypoallergenic formulas. In some people, ingredients other than fragrances may create problems. Testing is always a good idea to avoid puffy, itchy and watery eyes. Apply a small amount of mascara to the back of your ear. If the area does not get inflamed or itchy after a few hours, the product is safe for the eyes.

Colorless Mascaras

Colorless mascaras are designed for weak or damaged eyelashes, but healthy lashes will certainly benefit as well. Sometimes these mascaras are made with vitamins, vitamin B in particular, and plant extracts. They are used as a base coat under color mascara to add length, thickness and volume. In addition, they are great to shape your eyebrows.

Do you need all the different kinds of mascaras? Of course, not. These days, manufacturers try to combine several features in one tube. However, it is difficult to be perfect all around. A mascara may perform better adding length, but not so good at building volume, or vice versa. It may resist water well, but won’t curl as expected. And who needs the perfect curl if it can’t provide the water resistance you need?

Try and error method is probably the only sure way to find a mascara that is right for you and for your eyes, but it may become expensive. Don’t despair. Look at it from another angle: with the ever-changing variety of products, search for the perfect mascara will never be boring.

About The Author

Natalie Katsman is a co-founder of http://www.natural-aid.com where you can find fine quality aloe vera products for beauty and well-being and subscribe to HealthySkin Newsletter filled with beauty tips, recipes and information on herbal healing, skin care and cosmetic chemistry.

Have you ever been putting on your makeup and when everything is going well, you suddenly make a mistake that ruins all of your effort? Have you had to take off your makeup some time because, without meaning to, you’ve ruined your makeup? Surely you have; it happens to all of us.

In this Article, you will find five of the most common mistakes and the best tips to quickly fix them without having to take off all of your makeup…

We hope you’ll like them and that they’ll help you easily improve your personal image…

“I’VE PUT ON TOO MUCH FOUNDATION” This is a very common mistake that we all make when we put on makeup. If you are totally made up, to take off any excess foundation, do the following:

• Lightly moisten a clean sponge with water (the sponge should be almost dry and without any makeup residue) and sponge all of your face with downward movements.

TIP: It’s very important, most of all, to avoid excess foundation and concealer around the eyes. To eliminate any excess in this area, perform the same step and afterwards use your fingertips to softly blur the product in that area.

“MY EYESHADOW LOOKS TOO DARK”

If you’ve put on too much eyeshadow, or it looks too dark, follow these steps to quickly fix the problem:

• If it happened on your upper eyelid, blur the eyeshadow toward the edges with a clean brush to reduce the color. If it still looks very dark, apply a little bit of matte cream eyeshadow with a brush (if you don’t have cream eyeshadow, you can use translucent powder) and blur the eyeshadow.

• If it happened on the lower part of your eye, use a fine, clean brush to blur, or pat it softly with a Q-tip.

• If as you were blurring, you’ve left the contour of the eyelid and the shadow looks very dark, blur it with a clean sponge and afterwards apply a little bit of foundation, patting lightly to fix the foundation.

“I’VE PUT ON TOO MUCH BLUSH” If you applied too much blush, try the following tip:

• Stroke your cheek with a thick, loose powder bush—the brush should be completely clean. If you still have too much blush on, apply translucent or clear powder with the same brush, just over the blush. That way the two powders should mix, clarifying the original color.

“I’VE PUT TOO MUCH MAKEUP ON MY EYEBROWS” When we put too much makeup on our eyebrows, we look harsh and we can’t even recognize ourselves. Follow the following tip to quickly solve this:

• Simply brush the eyebrow with a clean Q-tip, going against the grain of your eyebrow. You will see how quickly the color you initially applied disappears.

“I’VE SMEARED MASCARA ON MY EYELID” That’s all right. Just follow these next steps and you’ll see how you can quickly fix the problem:

• Continue applying makeup and when you have finished, allowing enough time for the mascara to dry, apply a Q-tip right over the smudge. You’ll see how it quickly disappears and you don’t need to remove the makeup from your whole eye.

TIP: A good trick to avoid smudging yourself is applying makeup first to your inferior eyelashes and then to the superior.

Maria Llorente is qualified make up artist that writes on a regular basis in the spanish beauty site. http://www.tuimagenpersonal.com

Do you have the winter skin blues? Is the itching and flaking driving you crazy? Don’t worry; you can take steps to protect and soothe your body’s largest organ. With proper care, healthy, glowing skin is achievable during winter. Whatever your age, follow these helpful guidelines throughout the season.

No matter how dark your skin, you still need to protect it from the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays. Choose a sunscreen with SPF of 15 or more. Sunscreens containing Titanium Dioxide tend to leave darker skin tones looking “ashy”. A sunscreen gel is preferable and it absorbs invisibly into your skin.

I know it’s tempting, but taking long, hot showers drain essential moisture from your skin, leaving it dry and lacking in water content. Limit your showers to about 5-10 minutes. (Tip: Use a leave-in conditioner, so you don’t have to spend as much time washing your hair, but still be able to keep it conditioned.)

Wash your hands and face using lukewarm, not hot, water.

This winter, opt for a non-foaming cleanser which cleanses but does not strip away your skin’s natural moisture barrier. You don’t want that squeaky clean feeling you get with cleansing gels, which can leave your skin feeling dry and taut.

Invest in a great hand cream: it will help to keep your hands soft and smooth. If possible, avoid washing your hands frequently. Apply hand cream to your hands immediately after washing them to seal in moisture.

Your lips have no natural defense against the elements. Wearing a lip balm with SPF is essential even during winter months. Your lips tend to dry out faster during this time of the year, so make sure to re-apply as necessary. Licking your lips can cause them to dry out faster, too. As the saliva on your lips evaporates, so does your lips’ natural moisture.

In general, and especially during winter months, avoid skin care products containing Alcohol. Not only is Alcohol an irritant, but it is drying, too.

Instead of exfoliating with AHAs, (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) wear a good water-based moisturizer to hydrate your skin and keep it from flaking. AHAs can be a great way to de-flake the skin’s top layer, but they usually tend to dry out your skin. If you plan to use them anyway, don’t overuse them.

About The Author

Tara Sabeti is Vice-President of Marketing at http://www.BeautySteals.com an online retailer of cosmetics, skin care and fragrances. A graduate of Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, she has spent more than five years researching and working in the cosmetics and fashion industries.

Tara@BeautySteals.com