If you have decided to purchase perfume for yourself or for someone else as a gift, you will find that it may be difficult to decide which perfume to choose. With so many different varieties of perfumes on the market, just how are you supposed to select the right one? Below, you will find the answer.

First, if cost is a big consideration when you are purchasing perfume, then you may want to predetermine how much you are going to spend before you start shopping. Some brands can be pretty pricey and if you are on a budget, you will want to remain within the confines of your spending limit.

Next, you will need to determine if you want to purchase a perfume that has a light or a heavy scent. If you are buying for yourself, this task is far easier than if you are purchasing perfume for someone else. Therefore, finding out in advance what perfume a person prefers is your best option. For instance, if your friend likes wearing musk, then look for musk when you are purchasing perfume and if your friend or loved one likes earthy scents, then look for an earthy scent when you shop.

Next, there is actually a trick to smelling perfume. Have you ever noticed that when you smell perfume from the bottle and then you smell it on your wrist it does not ever smell the same? That’s because perfumes react with your body chemicals. So, you will want to purchase a perfume that is not only pleasing to the nose when you open the bottle, but one that is pleasing when it reacts to skin contact. Also, once you have applied the perfume to your wrist, wait a few seconds as the strong odor will dissipate and will leave you with the scent that the perfume is meant to provide.

It is not a wise idea to purchase perfume just because the bottle is pretty. Unless you truly do not care what is inside the bottle and you only want the bottle, you really should take a few moments to test out what’s inside. You may find that the perfume inside your gorgeous bottle smells absolutely atrocious or that it does not suit your personality at all.

Finally, if you decide to purchase perfumes online you should email the company to send you a variety of samples before you make your purchases. Again, a website can tell you absolutely nothing about what a perfume smells like. Just because the advertisement says that the perfume has a lovely musk scent, it doesn’t mean that you will think the scent is lovely when you receive your package. Therefore, unless you are familiar with a perfume product, refrain from shopping for perfumes online until you have had an opportunity to sample the product.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Perfume
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Not all cologne and perfume is made equally. In fact there are four different concentrations of perfume, each one being very different from the other.

In this article I am going to discuss the four different variations of cologne as well as what each concentration may be used for.

Did you know that most cologne’s and perfumes are comprised mainly of alcohol? In fact, most of the fragrances that you see in any shop will only be comprised of 4-10% of actual scented compounds. Of course this varies depending on the perfume that you look at. The rest of the 86-90% of the bottle is made up of alcohol and water.

Some fragrances actually have a lower concentration of scented compounds, and some have more. This is where the commonly used EDP, EDT, and EDC come into play. Let’s take a look at what these mean.

Perfume – Also known as Perfume extract, ‘Perfume’ is the most concentrated and smoothest of the four types. Typically made up of a 20-40% concentration of scented compounds, perfume is definitely the most expensive to buy.

Eau de Parfum – EDP is typically made up of an 8-16% concentration of scented compounds. EDP is probably the most common type of concentration you will see at the store. An EDP scent will usually fade after four hours, but the base notes can linger for a 24 hour period. Fragrances with an EDP concentration are perfect if you need an all day scent

Eau de Toilette – EDT is another very common concentration found in many fragrances. EDT is typically made up of a 4-8% concentration of scented compounds. Some people find that some EDT perfumes last a long while, but generally these are better left for night time use where the scent isn’t needed for as long.

Eau de Cologne – EDC isn’t commonly found in any fragrances anymore. It doesn’t last that long, and is typically only made with a 2-4% concentration of scented compounds.

Now you will know what all those fancy French names are on the side of your favorite mens cologne bottle. Whether you need a longer duration scent for work, or something a little shorter for the clubs, you are now one step ahead of the crowd!

Cody Kahl is creator and writer of Mens Cologne Guide – A site dedicated to providing only the best armani cologne information.

Cody believes in quality, and this free resource proves it.

To remove body hair or not remove body hair - That is the question. And as with most everything, there are, (at least), two beliefs about what to do with body hair.

One belief is that you should not remove your body hair because it protects skin from dirt and germs, provides cushioning for sensitive areas, lessens the friction between skin and clothes, holds in heat to keep you warm when you need it and retains your personal scent, which may attract your potential mate.

Another belief is that you should remove your body hair because it holds dirt and germs, interferes with sensations in sensitive areas, causes friction between skin and clothes, and holds in heat which creates your personal scent, which repels everyone.

Some people, both male and female, believe because you’re born with body hair, it’s best to just let it grow. These people add that a big benefit is you don’t have to spend your time or money removing it.

Other people believe just because you’re born with body hair, doesn’t mean you have to accept it. These people believe it’s their body, (and hair), to do what they please and the big benefit for them is they say they look and feel better because they remove their body hair.

Since the human animal has walked this planet, body hair has played a couple of important roles. Before clothing, as protection and a signal of sexual maturity. Since clothing, a signal of sexual maturity.

Today, neither of these roles apply. And it seems even evolution is playing a part towards less hair.

It’s a genetic fact that since the need of body hair as protection has become unnecessary because of wearing clothing, with each generation males have become noticeably less hairy.

Even though some males still believe that their body hair is a measure of their manliness, in today’s world, being a hairy male does not represent being manly like it did in the past. In fact these days, most people, of both sexes, really prefer smooth bodies. So with body hair being useless, it’s more than acceptable for a male to trim his body hair or even become a full body shaver - Especially if he has a lot of hair.

Now be honest - What’s your response when you see a male with a really hairy chest or back?

Most males today have a better sense of how to project the most positive image and remove excess body hair, particularly on the chest and back. Removing chest and back hairs can be beneficial on both hygienic and aesthetic levels. A male with a hairless and toned body is very attractive to others.

Now be honest - What’s your response when you see a female with bushy armpits, scraggly bikini lines and hairy legs at the pool or beach?

Unless you’re in France, forget that hairy armpits on females is considered chic. Bushy armpits on males are not attractive either. Both males and females can improve their personal hygiene with groomed armpits. Bushy armpits generate extra heat, encourage the growth of bacteria and most often create heavier perspiration, resulting in an unpleasant odor. So whether you choose to just trim this hair or completely remove it, your armpits will tell onlookers that you’re tidy and clean.

Now, with all of today’s hair removal products, there’s really no excuse for any, (conscientious), female wearing a skimpy swimsuit, not to be a body shaver. A female may have a beautifully shaped and toned body which looks great in a thong bikini, but the entire image will be ruined if there are scraggly pubic hairs sticking out.

To at least trim or remove hair in the genital area will not only improve appearance, it will also improve personal hygiene. Less hair in this area means less heat and consequently, less build up of bacteria and unpleasant odor. This holds true for males as well as females.

And - You won’t know unless you try - If you remove the hair in the genital area, it may even enhance your sex life. Most people today say that if their partner’s genital area were well groomed, they’d be paying more attention to this area. How about you? Do you prefer your partner’s genital area neatly groomed or unkempt and hairy?

Most people would agree that we all want to look the best we can. Whether you choose to just trim your body hair or become a full body shaver, grooming your body hair is a basic step towards being more presentable.

Some hair removal methods are designed specifically for different parts of the body. But there is shaving tool that is specifically designed to remove hair from every part of the body. Do your own research. You’ll be glad you did.

Bodworx International presents body hair removal tips and the latest data for removing hair from your entire body. Visit them at their body shaver website at http://www.bodyshaver.com for more information.

With men’s and women’s perfume being so expensive in the offline world, many people are now turning to the internet for their fragrance needs. Certain things should be looked at though before making a discount purchase.

In this article I will discuss what to look out for when buying cologne online, as well as a few good places to start your search.

Go to a perfume shop online and I will bet you they have the phrase “best prices” emblazoned somewhere on their homepage. The fact is that a lot of these shops claim that they have the best prices, but this is simply not true. So how do you know you are getting the best price when you make a purchase? Simple… ask them if they have a price match guarantee. They may say that they do somewhere on the site, but if not, send them an e-mail.

Many of the top online cologne shops do have price match guarantees, so make sure and use them.

Price isn’t the only factor involved in buying discount fragrances. Does the site look reputable? Do they have any customer testimonials? How long have they been selling online? All of these points should be looked at when choosing a store to do business with.

Imitation perfume is sometimes talked about online. I don’t really think it is that common, and if you generally stick to the bigger online shops that meet the points mentioned above, you will be fine. Most online perfume shops do sell testers though, so if you do not want a tester bottle make sure it isn’t listed in the product description.

Lastly I would like to talk about buying fragrances on eBay auctions. Some great deals can be had by purchasing off of eBay, so it may be something you want to check out. Many of the fragrances being sold on eBay are tester bottles. Again, if this is not something you want, look good and hard for the word “tester” somewhere in the title or product description. The last thing you will want to look for is the seller’s feedback. It seems a lot of the perfume auctioneers on eBay are power sellers with great feedback. This is good for the consumer as they can get great deals from quality suppliers.

Taking the time to seek out a reputable online cologne shop that has competitive pricing will go a long way towards saving you money and trouble.

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Cody Kahl is creator and writer of Mens Cologne Guide – A site
dedicated to providing only the best cheap cologne information.
Cody believes in quality, and this free resource proves it.
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Many people who need contact lenses recently switched to color contacts with corrective powers. But you don’t have to be shortsighted or longsighted to enjoy a new eye color. Find out how you can get non-prescription color lenses and what you need to know to make the right choice.

What non-prescription color contacts are available?

If you are looking for non-prescription (also called plano) color lenses, the choices are great - all well-known brands offer color contacts with no prescription as well as corrective lenses. Freshlook, Acuvue 2 Colors and Durasoft Colors are the leaders in the color lens market. When making your order, you just need to specify “0” where it says power. Also you can find hundreds of no-brand non-prescription color contact lenses online.

However, it is recommended to go for a well-known brand produced by established contact lens manufacturer. The reason is that while most color contacts look great in your eyes, not all of them feel comfortable. Brand-name lenses are made from quality materials and are designed to be comfortable as well as gorgeous. On the other hand unknown color contacts can not only be uncomfortable, but plain dangerous. As you can imagine, some paints are quite toxic, so it is important to use a paint that is safe for your eyes.

Do you want to change or to enhance your natural color?

All non-prescription color contacts fall into two major groups - opaque and enhancement contact lenses. If you have light eyes, enhancement color lenses will add brightness to your natural color, making your eyes appear more interesting and stunning. To change your natural color, use opaque color lenses even if you have light eyes. For people with dark eyes, opaque color lenses are the only option.

To determine whether the lens is enhancement or opaque, look at its name. The name of the lens usually suggests whether it is opaque or enhancement contacts. Also opaque lenses might say “for dark eyes” while enhancers are often labeled “for light eyes”.

The most popular color contacts, Acuvue 2 Colors Enhancers and Acuvue 2 Colors Opaques, leave you in no doubt as to which is which. From Freshlook collections, Freshlook Colors and Freshlook Colorblends are opaque lenses, while Freshlook Dimensions and Freshlook Radiance are enhancers.

Be careful not to buy lightly tinted lenses. It is difficult to see a clear contact lens in the solution, so for your convenience most corrective lenses have a light blue tint. This tint doesn’t affect your eye color at all, its only purpose is to make the lens easier to find in its case.

For non prescription color lenses you need a doctor’s prescription

If you never had vision problems, you might be surprised to find out that to buy plano color lenses a person needs a doctor’s prescription. The reason is that contact lenses (including colored lenses) have more characteristics than just corrective power. It isn’t a “one size fits all” proposition - you also have to know the base curve of your eye and the recommended diameter of the lens. Only a qualified eye care practitioner can measure your eyes.

Often, people ignore the need for a prescription and order color lenses they like from the Internet. This is really not a good idea. Of course, if you intend to wear your lenses for one special occasion, probably nothing horrible will happen. But continuous wear of contact lenses that are not properly fitted can damage your eyes, even if you never had vision problems before.

However, you should check what is sold online before visiting your eye doctor for a prescription. Find several brands that offer the right colors and suit your budget. This way, you can ask your doctor to recommend lenses from your list, rather than fully rely on his or her judgment.

Tanya Turner publishes Contact Lenses Consumer Guide where you can find tips on safe contact lens shopping, reviews and price comparison of non prescription color contact lenses. The Guide also helps you select best color contact lenses providing you with photos and reviews of color contacts by different brands.

When people hear the word ‘notes’ they often say “yeah those are the things that make up a song.” Sure this is true, but did you know that notes are also used to describe the various scents of a fragrance? Most people aren’t even aware that there is more than one aroma involved in perfume or mens cologne.

In this article we will take an in depth look at what levels of notes occur in a fragrance, as well as what is involved in each level.

As I mentioned above, there are actually different scents within a bottle of perfume. That’s right, when you purchase your dream bottle of cologne at the local store, it isn’t going to always smell the same. When you wear it, the scent will actually change throughout the day. Evaporation causes different ‘notes’ to come out during this period.

So what exactly are these notes? Let’s take a look.

Top Notes – This is the first scent you smell when sniffing a particular fragrance. Because this is the first scent a person smells, the manufacturer knows that the top notes are very important for a good first impression. The top notes are usually described as fresh or strong. These notes generally last a matter of minutes (10-30) due to them evaporating quickly.

Middle Notes – Also sometimes referred to as ‘heart notes’, these scents are generally much less ‘dramatic’ than top notes. Middle notes last longer than top notes and usually appear 10-45 minutes after applying the perfume.

Base Notes – This is the finale of every good cologne. The ingredients used here hold everything together. Musk is a common ingredient that is used as a base note.

Now that you are “in the know”, next time you go to buy that special cologne, you may be able to give the clueless sales representative a crash course in fragrance study!

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Cody Kahl is creator and writer of Mens Cologne Guide – A site
dedicated to providing only the best mens cologne information.
Cody believes in quality, and this free resource proves it.
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There are ten tools at your fingertips, used to tighten screws, slit seals, crease paper, scratch itches, peel labels, scrape lottery tickets, tap out rhythm, and the ever politically-correct task of removing that spinach from between your teeth. Your fingernails are a universal tool, and most of us couldn’t function without them being so close to (pardon the pun) … hand.

Fingernails are composed primarily of keratin; a tough, insoluble protein substance that is the chief structural constituent of hair, nails, horns, and hoofs. Nails grow about 1/8th inch per month and require 3 to 6 months to completely re-grow, while toenails grow about three times slower. Fingernail growth slows as you get older, in cold weather, during illness; men’s nails grow faster than woman’s, and nails on the dominant hand grow faster.

Your nails are always in sight, so it doesn’t make a positive personal statement if they are grubby, broken, or split with rough, ragged cuticles. Taking care of your nails is no big thing, but there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to nail care:

• Start with a good soak to soften things up and then cut straight across the front of the nail with a sharp clipper or nail scissors, use a nail board to shape, file in one direction to avoid splitting the nail.

Now you have great looking, well-manicured healthy nails, let’s work on your dry, rough hands:

• Gentle scrubbing with a granular scrub and a good brush will get the ground-in dirt on knuckles and around the nails.

You clean and maintain your work tools without a second thought, don’t you?

… Remember to give your hands the same consideration.

© 2005 Jolene Schwartz

Jolene Schwartz is a grooming specialist for over 20 years; as a master barber and licensed cosmetologist in her own men’s salon. She launched http://appearancesformen.com e-com site; writing monthly columns about men’s products, lifestyle, and offering the finest in men’s grooming products.

The debate continues as to whether Hyaluronic acid or collagen is the best option for facial injections. However, research shows that Hyaluronic acid is rapidly becoming the facial injection of choice.

Hyaluronic acid facial injection, Restylane, is one of only two FDA approved injections for the treatment of facial wrinkles around the nose and mouth. The other two are the collagen injection for correcting soft tissue deficiencies such as wrinkles and acne scars and botulinum toxin (Botox) for treating frown lines between the eyebrows. However, in a pivotal clinical study of Hyaluronic acid, results indicated that Hyaluronic acid is a safer and more effective option than collagen.

The clinical study included 138 patients who received the Restylane Hyaluronic acid injection on one side of the face and bovine collagen injections on the other side. Most patients in the studies required one injection, while one third needed more than one injection. The Hyaluronic acid injection produced a lower incidence of redness than the collagen injections.

Further research indicates that the possibility of allergic reactions in patients who use Hyaluronic acid is much lower than in patients who use collagen. Allergic reactions are possible in 3% to 4% of patients who use collagen and very, very rarely in patients who receive Hyaluronic acid injections. The reason lies in the fact that injectable collagen is derived from animals principally from cow hides and pig skins. Hyaluronic acid injections are not animal derived and thus do not contain animal protein which can cause allergic reactions in humans.

Lastly, Hyaluronic acid injections last much longer than collagen injections. Hyaluronic acid injections can last for as long as 6-12 months while collagen only lasts for about 3-4 months. Thus, between increased safety, effectiveness and results, it appears as if Hyaluronic acid is poised to become the wrinkle filler, lip plumper and fine line killer of choice in today’s highly competitive cosmetic surgery market.

Hyaluronic Acid Resource is dedicated to promoting an understanding of Hyaluronic acid, a major ingredient in many medical and anti-aging therapies and to highlighting places where you can safely purchase Hyaluronic acid products. For more information go to E-Hyaluronicacid.com

Imagine visiting a facility that allows for medical grade cosmetic procedures to restore skin health and rejuvenate the face and body, maximize health and wellness while in a serene spa-like environment. You would be visiting a Medical Spa.

International Medical Spa Association defines a medical spa as “a facility that operates under the full-time, on-site supervision of a licensed health care professional. The facility operates within the scope of practice of its staff, and offers traditional, complementary, and alternative health practices and treatments in a spa-like setting. Practitioners working within a medical spa will be governed by their appropriate licensing board, if licensure is required.” It would provide a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates traditional cosmetic procedures and wellness with alternative therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic and holistic care to maximize both health and wellness as well as beauty care. Those that adhere to the guidelines as put forth by the IMSA often have a physician on staff (preferably on site), chiropractors, massage therapists, nutritionists, and holistic practitioners.

Advancing technology allows for more dramatic non-invasive and minimal “down time” cosmetic procedures to fit patients active social and career lifestyle. This, coupled with mainstream acceptance, has led to an ever-growing consumer demand. Numerous facilities are appearing almost daily, whether attached to an already existing medical practice or as a stand alone new practice. Even some traditional hair salons and day spa’s are enlisting physicians to come by their facility periodically to perform Botox® or Restylane® injections.

With this booming demand, many investors see an opportunity to cash in on this growing market by opening medical spas ranging from “one of” to franchises. Many non-medical persons are opening up facilities ranging from laser hair removal facilities to medical spa’s, staffing them with estheticians, “laser technicians”, or nurses. For a facility to purchase a laser, a physician has to be affiliated with that facility. Thus many physicians serve as Medical Director, yet have no direct clinical interaction with clients in their evaluation, treatment or follow-up.

Indeed, for some facilities the physician is not even located in the same community. Some Medical Directors have residency training in Dermatology or Plastic Surgery, while others are from different medical specialties. However, since many of these procedures and technologies are relatively new, current and ongoing postgraduate medical education and training are important.

With this rapid growth, many states medical regulations are not keeping pace with the evolving technologies, which result in loose regulatory oversight. In fact many states allow non-physicians to own and operate laser hair removal spas.

With increasing popularity and availability of these services, the incidence of injury from these “low risk” procedures is increasing. While very rarely serious injury occurs (there have been two deaths, including one in North Carolina, associated with laser hair removal and use of topical anesthetic), troublesome injuries requiring evaluation and treatment by a medical specialist are becoming more commonplace. Injuries can include scarring, pigmentation changes, and even blindness. A study on complications from laser procedures by Vic Narurkar, MD was presented this year at the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery. He found that 82% of all laser related complications occurred in facilities that had no direct physician supervision. 1

Training is another big issue. For example, an esthetician requires a minimum of 600 hours training before being issued a license to perform skin care and superficial peels. However, to operate a laser most states have no set training requirements. In most cases the training is done by the laser manufacture and may be only a day or two in length. While lasers are generally safe in the right hands and most persons have no contraindications, there are a few medical conditions that can lead to adverse out comes. Certain medical conditions, such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, adrenal or ovarian tumors, can manifest themselves by excessive facial hair or male pattern hair growth. These could be easily missed if not appropriately screened for. Certain medications can place the laser patient at higher risk for complications. Appropriate medical screening is warranted in all new laser patients.

Another concern is what happens if someone is injured. Or, while screening a prospective laser patient, concern of an underlying medical condition arises. Can most of these facilities handle these situations? Does the staff know what to do? Is the staff astute enough to notice that a mole has some suspicious features before performing a laser treatment on it? Is there a physician on site or readily available to evaluate that mole, or treat a complication?

Medical spas provide clients aesthetic and wellness care in a serene, relaxing and pampering environment. Most patients will have no adverse outcomes or are treated without injury. However with the increasing popularity of these procedures, adverse outcomes are bound to increase. Having a physician who is actively involved in patient evaluation, treatment and follow-up is an important component to preventing injury. Establishment of a training program with ongoing education and evaluation of all practitioners is paramount. Finally, the ability to treat and refer patients who are injured or have other medical concerns is also important.

1. Complications from Laser Procedures Performed By Non-Physicians. Vic A. Narurkar, MD. Skin & Aging. Sep 2005, pg. 70-71.

Donald Sudy, MD
Medical Director
ReGenesis Medical Spa & Wellness Center

There’s just something about walking into a day spa, isn’t there? It’s a haven from your hectic every day life, an oasis that lets you do something just for you. That massage or body treatment feels like a guilty indulgence, even though it’s probably necessary for your sanity!

Whether you’re visiting a day spa for the first time or the fiftieth, these tips will help you get the most out of your massage, body wrap, aromatherapy, etc.

1. Remember when Mom told you not to swim for an hour after eating? Well, the same holds true for spa visits. Don’t eat for at least an hour before a massage or body treatment.

2. Arrive 30 minutes early. If you’re worried about being late, tapping your foot waiting for the elevator and rushing to the receptionist desk, you won’t get nearly as much out of your visit.

3. RELAX! I know, that’s how you’re supposed to feel after you’re done. If you can take a few deep breaths before your treatment (in the waiting room, since you’re early, right?), your experience will be that much more rewarding.

4. Drink LOTS of water before and after. Water enhances the detoxifying and rehydrating benefits.

5. Talk to your therapists - they don’t bite! If anything feels off, let them know: too hot/cold, too much pressure/too little pressure, music’s too loud - anything. They want you to have the best experience possible so you’ll come back for more.

Theresa Carter is the creator and publisher of TheLocalTourist.com, a free online guide to downtown Chicago. Find restaurants, bars, spas, salons, events, attractions, shopping, media, transportation – anything Chicago. Theresa also provides a weekly events newsletter. http://www.thelocaltourist.com