Stretch marks are a common dermatological problem in both sexes of all ages. Stretch Mark scars are formed when our skin needs to be stretched quickly. A sudden weight gain, pregnancy, puberty, height gaining, and sudden weight loss may cause cases like that. The inner layer of the skin tears as the normal production of the major protein that makes up the connective tissue in our skin, collagen, is disrupted. Trying to heal the wounds, the skin is increasing the amount of collagen in the overstretched tissue, resulting in those familiar pinkish lines.

If you are in one of these situations, watch out, you don’t want to see these lines on your skin later. Stretch Mark Treatments are often ineffective and in some cases very expensive. It is better prevent than to treat, so here are some prevention tips for you.

· Follow a balanced diet. Keep your weight gain within the recommended range, as sudden weight gain or weight loss is the most common cause of stretch marks as well as other health problems. If you have weight problems or sudden weight changes consult your doctor or dietician.

· Drink plenty of water. Hydration is important for your overall health and it is critical to healthy skin. Skin needs water for elasticity. Dehydration makes skin looking dry, lined and feeling delicate, being vulnerable enough for stretch marks and scars.

· Vitamins are a certain way to ensure proper nutritional status and shiny strong skin in and out. All vitamins are essential for healthy skin but you can make sure that you take enough of the skin beneficial vitamins; Vitamin A is critical for normal life cycle of skin cells, vitamin C, iron and copper which are important for the synthesis of collagen, folate is important for rapidly dividing skin cells, Vitamins B1 and B2 are critical for energy production in the cells and vitamin B12 is essential for a variety of synthetic processes in the cells.

· You can also use a body brush to massage the areas where you have or want to prevent stretch marks from appearing, such us the thighs, buttocks, breasts and arms. This massage will increase circulation to the area, adding points to your efforts.

· Moisturize your skin externally. You can apply several moisturizing creams and oils. Daily massage the area with a substance of your choice. Olive oil, vaseline, vitamin E cream, different types of butter such us cocoa butter, coconut butter and shea butter will do fine. There are also special creams marketed especially for stretch mark prevention, formulas that are designed to help enhance collagen production and support the dermis. These moisturizers will help keep your skin supple and elastic plus serve as nutrition for your skin.

Finally, keep in mind that the appearance of stretch marks is not entirely in your hands. Heredity and skin complexion is also important. Stretch marks are the result of a healthy body trying to heal itself.

So, if despite your efforts you continue to see stretch marks on your skin, do not despair. You are a healthy individual and your marks tell a story. There are always new treatments waiting for you to try, and cosmetic science is always progressing rapidly in this direction.

For free daily articles, ideas and tips to fight scars and stretch marks visit The Stretchmarktips.com at http://www.stretchmarktips.com

Once you have found a scent that you feel really defines who you are and what you are all about, (and makes you just a little more unforgettable!), how do you make it your own?

By that we mean, how do you make people think, "that smells like Sheryl" or, "that smells like Jeff" instead of, "isn’t that the cologne that Janet wears?" Making the cologne "your own" means engulfing yourself in the scent so that it becomes an integral part of you, without becoming overwhelming to others.

For example, you don’t want to continue spraying yourself with perfume or cologne all day long, since the sharp, introductory notes will continue to come through and that sharp scent will be overwhelming to people if they smell it on you constantly.

Instead, try building a the scent in layers. For example, many fragrance manufacturers don’t just make cologne or perfume, they make other products with the same fragrance as well. You should start by using their soap and shampoo to get a light fragrance over your body.

When you are out of the shower, try using their fragranced powder or body lotion to build up the next layer of scent.

Finally, you have two choices. You can either spray perfume on your pulse points (perfume is the strongest concentration of sent offered by a fragrance manufacturer), or you can spray the eau de toilette or eau de cologne all over your body, since it is a lighter version of the fragments.

Throughout the day, your fragrance layers will evaporate and give off that scent. And over time, your clothes will become infused with the smell as well, and it won’t be long until people begin to associate a smell only with you.

And why would you want to smell associated only with you? It’s easy! Smell is the sense that is most closely related to our long-term memory. So when people smell something, they often make close associations between the scent and the experience. So give people something to remember about you and layer your body with a scent that will keep you in people’s memories for a long time to come.

Jeff Lakie is the founder of Cologne Information a website providing information on Cologne

Tanning bed safety is your ultimate protection against the negative effects of tanning on your skin. Although most people claim to understand the dangers of tanning beds, rarely do they know the safe facts of tanning beds.

1. Find a great tanning bed

Not only will your tan depend on using a high quality bed in your home but so will your safety. With so many options out there, be sure to research each possible bed in depth before making your big purchase.

If you’re visiting a tanning salon, make sure they maintain their beds and check that they have tanning safety advice posters in full view.

2. Use only the best tanning lotions

Your tanning lotion helps determine the amount of UVA and UVB rays reaching your skin. Using hydrating tanning lotions made specifically for tanning beds will help keep your skin young, safe, and luscious.

Due to the ultraviolet rays given out by tanning beds, your skin may age prematurely from the effects of sunburn or skin cancer. Your may also feel sick when the rays from the bed begin to wear away at your immune system.

3. Stay in for the right time

In our endeavors to get great tans, some of us ignore all the safety facts and warnings on our beds. If your maximum exposure time in the tanning bed per day is supposed to be twenty minutes, only stay in the bed for twenty minutes.

4. Use the right protection

Besides great tanning lotions, you should also use protective goggles. Although Federal law doesn’t control what you do in your home tanning bed, the guidelines exist to keep your eyes safe and healthy.

5. Check the Wattage

When choosing a tanning bed, there is a lot to know. One of the most important parts of your bed is the wattage that it uses. Tanning beds can be either high output (HO) or very high output (VHO). HO beds use 100 watt lamps, while VHO beds can use up to 168 watt tanning lamps.

Unless you have a special reason for buying a VHO tanning bed, you will probably want to choose an HO bed since they are cheaper and easier to purchase and re-lamp. Some HO beds may try to sell you on them by claiming to have a high UVB, but these lamps will only increase your risk of burning rather than tanning.

6. Check The Safety Advice

Before tanning, you should consider your reactions to sun exposure and your family history. These factors can affect your personal danger when tanning. When visiting the salon, you should always wear the protective safety goggles provided by the company. By being aware of the danger, you can take care of your body and tan safely.

7. Keep up to date

The only way to know what’s going on in the tanning bed industry is to keep up. Check for new guidelines, regulations, and safe facts regularly so that your tanning experience is the best.

Knowing the safe facts about tanning will allow you to make the best decisions regarding your tanning bed whether at home or in a salon and to keep your skin healthy and glowing for years to come.

Jon Butt is the publisher of http://www.the-tanning-bed-guide.com - your friendly experts on how to choose the perfect tanning bed for you, where to get the biggest discounts online, which lotions and accessories will make tanning easier and safer, along with tan-thru clothing, sunless tanning advice and skin care. Visit http://www.the-tanning-bed-guide.com todat for more informative articles.

In the morning as you’re about to dash off to work, or in the evening before a big date, you probably spray some cologne or perfume on yourself just before heading out. When you chose to buy that particular perfume or cologne, what was it that made you decide? Was it a "sniff test" in the store?

If you did choose your perfume or cologne based on the "sniff test" that you performed in the store on a variety of fragrances for sale, you may be surprised to learn that colognes and perfumes actually have three distinct scents. It is likely that you chose your fragrance based only on the first scent!

The initial sent is a sharp scent meant to be fresh and attention-getting. It is the first thing you smell within moments of applying your fragrance.

After a few moments, when the initial scent has evaporated, the main scent comes through. You probably don’t realize it because you are wearing it, but within 10 minutes to an hour of applying your perfume or cologne, the fragrance’s scent smooths out from the initial sharpness from the first sent and it this “heart” scent tends to give the biggest impression.

After the main scent, or "heart" scent, has evaporated, the remaining scent is called the base note. This third scent is a subtle, lingering scent and is usually much richer or deeper than the initial scent.

So the next time you go to buy perfume or cologne, find a couple that you like and spray them on the available cards. Then bring the cards with you as you leave the store! Once the initial scent has evaporated, you’ll be able to smell the smoother fragrances that belong to the "heart" of the cologne or perfume, which will help you form a wiser buying decision.

Buying cologne can be a lot of fun, but can also be an overwhelming experience with the amount of products available. Buying on first impressions alone is not a bad idea, since you have to smell yourself! But eventually, other people will have to smell you as well, so buying a cologne or perfume based on the "heart" of the fragrance will help you know how others will perceive your scent.

Jeff Lakie is the founder of Cologne Information a website providing information on Cologne

Literally, a rash means the growth of some red bumps on your skin caused by irritation to the skin. As the effect, the skin may become swollen, itchy and bumpy. Generally, skin rashes are not contagious and are triggered by external material such as dust, food, dry air, animal dander, certain fabrics and many more. There are several reasons behind the development of these skin rashes. Some skin rashes are merely because of the dry skin condition, some may be caused by skin allergies or infection, and some may even cause by the growth of fungus on your skin.

Dry skin rashes are the most common rashes among all. If you belong to the category of those having dry skin, then you might have bigger chances of developing skin rashes because being dry, your skin will be easily irritated, especially during the cold, dry months of the year. Prevent dry skin rashes by drinking sufficient water and apply adequate amount of moisturizer. Some dry skin rashes are however, hereditary. In this particular case, external environment does not play an important role in causing it, just in triggering it. In the case of hereditary dry skin rashes, skin becomes extremely itchy and inflamed, causing redness, swelling, cracking, weeping, crusting, and scaling. This type of rashes comes and goes, often for no obvious reason.

Some standard treatment involves simple routine that you need to follow. People who suffer from dry skin rashes or have the tendency to develop dry skin rashes should avoid hot or long (more than 10 to 15 minutes) baths and showers. It is recommended to bath using lukewarm water as it helps to cleanse and moisturize the skin without drying it excessively. Choose mild bar soap or non-soap cleanser because soaps can be drying to the skin. After bathing, apply moisturizes onto the skin to avoid dryness. In the case of severe dry skin rashes, consult physician for further treatment.

Another type of skin rashes is a rash brought on by contact with a specific material which causes allergy on the skin. These skin allergies can be anything from animal dander, certain fabric to poison ivy and jewelry containing nickel. In general, this type of skin rashes only affects those parts of the skin which comes into contact with the material causes the allergy. One of the best ways to stay away from the skin allergies is to prevent it from happening by knowing what causes the allergic reaction and avoid any direct contact with whatever material that causes it.

Other than dry skin rashes and skin allergies, there is also a rash caused by fungal infections. Tough this type of skin rashes is not as common as its counterpart; you still need to be cautious as both people with good hygiene and bad hygiene can get this rash. When you get fungal skin rashes, treat it with some anti fungal cream which can be easily found at neighborhood drugstore.

Whatever rashes you have, remember not too scratch it, as scratching only make things worse. Just be patient and treat them accordingly, and if things got worse, immediately consult a physician.

Jerrick Foo has been researching and developing all dry skin care the purpose of offering men and women safe, dry skin care tips. He have created Dry Skin Care Guide to share his 10 years of combined expertise with you. Visit http://www.dry-skin-care-guide.com for essential skin care tips.

Skin is one of the most sensitive organs in our body, thus, we should keep it healthy to prevent any skin disease or irritations. There are many skin treatments as well as skin products to help you in maintaining your skins’ health. However, when not carefully picked, the skin care products can cause you some side effects such as allergic, irritations, or even infections. These side effects are cause by the unusual reaction of your skin towards certain chemical materials on the products. Therefore it is recommended to use natural skin care to lessen the risk of getting those side effects. Natural skin care is basically skin care product which encompasses natural ingredients. They do not contain any chemical compound thus reducing the possibility of developing irritation or allergic reaction when applied to your skins.

How to treat and pamper your skin naturally? Actually it’s pretty easy. Some vegetables and fruits can do the trick. Your veggies and fruit can be cost effective and healthy yet rewarding natural skin care. For instance, you can use peach, carrot, apple, or strawberry for your facial skin care, toner and etc. You can find a lot of prescriptions for these natural skins care available in the internet.

Because of the increasing market demand for natural skin care products, companies have been responsive and produce a wide range of natural skin products, thus giving you plenty of choices to choose from.

Natural skin care products extend widely from facial skin care product to body care products. With the increasing awareness of skin care importance, natural body care products are increasingly popular in the market. Natural body scrub, whitening essence, shampoo products, hair treatment, and soap are only some of the ever-increasing popular natural body care products. Ingredients are extensive from tropical fruit, to vegetables to mineral water and many more. With this wide range of natural skin care products, it is easier than ever for you to stay healthy and beautiful yet far from the risk of developing skin allergic or irritations. Isn’t nature wonderful?

Jerrick Foo has been researching and developing all dry skin care the purpose of offering men and women safe, dry skin care tips. He have created Dry Skin Care Guide to share his 10 years of combined expertise with you. Visit http://www.dry-skin-care-guide.com for essential skin care tips.

If you are looking for a dry skin remedy, look no farther than your kitchen pantry. You can make a dry skin natural remedy just by combining common foods and applying them to the skin. Some foods act as an internal remedy for dry skin as well. Some of the ingredients that can be used in a home remedy for extremely dry skin are honey, yogurt, olive oil, and oatmeal. Some herb teas are useful, too, as are a variety of other fruits and seeds.

Honey, a dry skin natural remedy, is a substance that is healing to the skin. When applied to the skin it is healing and moisturizing. It helps dead skin cells move from the surface and stimulates renewal and regrowth of skin tissues. It is also antibacterial. In severe cases, you can put honey on skin that needs a bandage. It will keep the bandage from sticking to the wounded skin. Yogurt can be used as a skin cleanser, acting as a natural moisturizer. Oatmeal heals and soothes dry skin, and helps the skin to slough off dead skin cells.

Cold-pressed olive oil works as an emollient, which means it soothes and softens. It helps the itching of eczema, which is a itchy skin condition characterized by oozing lesions. Eczema is sometimes associated with dry skin but not always. Olive oil can also be used on the scalp as a remedy for extremely dry skin and hair. Not only can olive oil be used externally, it is also an internal remedy for dry skin, along with other healthy oils. If you suffer from dry skin, try adding some heathful oils to your diet. It doesn’t take a lot, as oils are very high in calories. Nuts are full of beneficial oil, as are fatty fish, such as salmon and mackeral.

Certain herb teas work as an internal remedy for dry skin. Use one teaspoon of the dried herb to one cup of boiling water. Remove from heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Covering the cup with a saucer while it is steeping will keep the medicinal properties of the herb from evaporating away. Some herbs that are beneficial as an internal remedy for dry skin problems are marshmallow, dandelion, peppermint, calendula, borage, and chamomile.

Soap and body wash are drying to the skin. You can make an alternative to a bar of soap by tying oatmeal flour or in a cloth tea bag can be used instead of soap. For extra moisturizing, add a little almond meal and aloe vera gel.

The following home remedy for dry skin is a soothing facial mask that can be made from ingredients in your kitchen. Combine an egg yolk with a tablespoon of mayonnaise or yogurt and and another tablespoon of honey. If you use yogurt, add a 1/2 tsp. of almond oil. Apply to skin lightly and let it dry. Wash off gently with warm water. Another healing facial mask that is a remedy for extremely dry skin is to beat an egg and add oat flour to it. You can make oat flour by whizzing oatmeal around in the blender. Spread the mixture on your face and relax for 10 minutes before gently washing it away. Always treat your delicate dry skin with the utmost of care.

Here is an alphabetical list of botanicals (plant products) that have been found beneficial in creating a dry skin natural remedy (to be used on the surface of the skin): aloe vera, apple, apricot pulp, banana pulp, chamomile, comfrey root, coriander seed, elderflower, fennel seed, grape pulp, green tea leaf, honey, kefir, lavender flower, licorice root, mango pulp, marshmallow root, whole milk, oatmeal, rose petals, and yogurt. Add to these whole milk, either cow’s or goat’s, and the cultured milk products yogurt and kefir. Honey and egg yolk round out the kitchen pharmacy for dry skin solutions. If you wish to try creating your own dry skin solutions using these ingredients, please choose plant products that have not been sprayed with pesticides. Furthermore, don’t gather wild herbs that grow near a busy highway. The plants will absorb the exhaust fumes from the traffic and might do more harm than good. If you use seeds, make a strong tea of them by boiling them gently for 10 minutes and then letting them steep for an hour.

Jerrick Foo has been researching and developing all dry skin care the purpose of offering men and women safe, dry skin care tips. He have created Dry Skin Care Guide to share his 10 years of combined expertise with you. Visit http://www.dry-skin-care-guide.com for essential skin care tips.

Too many people are embarrassed about their smiles, so they keep their mouths closed and sometimes don’t smile at all. But keeping your mouth closed and by not smiling, you are giving off the wrong impression about yourself: that you are unapproachable and unhappy. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Like everyone else, you want to meet people and be happy, but you may feel ashamed of your yellow teeth.

Not any more! Want a whiter, brighter smile? It can be yours! You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to get that whiter smile you’ve always wanted!

There are several alternatives for the person who wants to enjoy the waiter, brighter smile:

1. Increasing in popularity is the laser whitening treatment which can be pricey and perhaps time-consuming. Check it out on the internet, if you’re interested, because it’s not always available in all areas.

2. The next alternative is to get your teeth whitened professionally at the dentist. This can be costly and time consuming, and who wants to go to the dentist anyway?

3. Another idea is to use whitening strips which can increase the lightness of your teeth by several shades. These are easily purchased at a pharmacy or drugstore and are worn up to twice a day for half an hour each time and are quite effective. Compared to professional whitening, they are also quite cost efficient!

4. Another idea is to use the whitening paint or gel. This is something you’ll paint on your teeth at night and they can effectively increase the whiteness of your teeth by several shades. This, as well, is available in your pharmacy or drugstore and is quite affordable. Also, since you’re doing it at night, it’s very, very convenient!

5. Companies that make toothpaste and toothbrushes are now offering whitening options with these products. For example, toothpaste, which has long been used for fighting Tartar and bad breath, now has additional properties of be able to lighten your teeth while toothbrushes are being built with rubber inserts among the bristles to do a better job of removing stains.

It won’t be long now before we find bubblegum that can also wait and teeth while it fresh is your breath and satisfies your sweet tooth.

Now you can have a great smile you can flash around to show off how wonderful of a person you really are. You deserve it!

Jeff Lakie is the founder of Tooth Whitening Information a website providing information on Tooth Whitening

Your smile is one of the things that makes you unforgettable. You can go into a room and frown your way around or you can brighten it up with a beautiful white smile.

Having the whitest, brightest teeth possible should be part of your daily dental regimen. Using teeth whitening products, combined with proper dental care, will result in wonderful smile. Here is a recommended routine to keep your smile as beautiful and light as possible.

On a daily basis, you should floss your teeth, brush them with a teeth whitening toothpaste, and rinse your mouth out with an antiseptic mouthwash. Once you’ve done this, you can use the whitening strips, which should be placed over your teeth and left there for about half an hour.

These whitening strips can be purchased online or at your local pharmacy and can effectively raise the whiteness in your teeth by several shades. Using these twice a day for a period of time as part of your regular dental hygiene regimen, you should have no problem achieving a much lighter, brighter smile.

But why stop there? If you came so far, and attained the brighter, whiter smile you’ve been longing for, why stop with the whitening strips once you’ve achieved your success?

You can maintain your white smile with lightning gel which raises the whiteness of your teeth by a couple shades, so it is an excellent way to maintain your beautiful smile. The way it works is: you paint the gel onto your teeth and leave it on overnight. Easy!

On top of a daily dental hygiene regimen, you will probably also want to consider cutting out tea, coffee, or cigarettes, as these luxuries in life have a tendency to darken and stain your teeth.

Having white teeth is affordable and easy to do and should be part of your daily dental regimen. In fact, once you’ve achieved a whiteness you’re happy with, you’ll find it even easier because the get whitens your teeth while you sleep. What could be easier than that? Next time you have a party or special occasion to attend, make a great entrance and leave a fantastic impression with a gorgeous smile that will draw people’s eyes to you!

Jeff Lakie is the founder of Tooth Whitening Information a website providing information on Tooth Whitening

There are some who wouldn’t be caught dead in public without make up and then there are some who refuse to wear make up at all and prefer the natural look.

Some people have told me they like to let their skin breathe. Well don’t worry about it! There’s plenty of skin on your body, let the rest of it do the breathing! Your skin is fed from the inside and won’t suffer so long as you make sure you cleanse at the end of the day.

But you can actually create a natural look using make up. That way you can have that clean fresh appearance while being able to disguise those flaws that you (and probably only you!) dislike.

So let’s have a basic lesson on how to apply make up to create a fresh natural look.

Natural make up techniques

We’ll look at base (foundation), concealer, powder and blush this time and in part 2 go on to how to apply make up for the eyes and mouth.

In the case of applying make up the term "less is more" definitely applies! If your going to enjoy a big night out on the town that’s different - use your bright eye shadow, lippie and glittery mascara. You can put on a bit more foundation too, to create a flawless palate on which to "paint" your masterpiece!

But during the day whether you’re at work, at home or hitting the shops you don’t want to look like Coco the clown! Too much makeup can actually appear very ageing.

So let’s start with a really clean face. For daytime use a moisturizing sunscreen or sun block. If your skin is oily use a non oily one, if it’s very dry use both moisturizer and sun block.

Make up base (or foundation) comes in many types, liquid, stick, cream etc. Mostly this is a matter of preference although the stick or "solid" base usually has a better coverage and will hide things like broken veins almost completely. The liquid bases have a lighter coverage and will give a more natural look.

If your skin is oily, the dry compact bases work well, or opt for an oil free liquid one. Dry skins like the cream bases which give a moist ‘dewy’ appearance.

Make sure the base you choose matches the colour of your skin as closely as possible. Don’t try and create a darker sun tanned look with your base, there are bronzing powders specially created for this. Go outside the store when selecting different colours and make sure they look ok in natural light. It’s best to test on your jaw line rather your wrist.

Don’t buy pre-packaged make-up bases from the supermarket, you’ll not be able to try them on!

Concealers are great for that natural look, you can cover blemishes and broken veins with a concealer without having to use a heavy base all over your face.

Concealers also come in different forms but they all do the same job. You can buy them with built in sunscreen and also with anti bacterial additives if you like. Try to find one just slightly lighter than your skin tone. Pat the concealer onto the area you wish to cover. Don’t rub hard or it will disappear into your pores. Make sure it is blended well and has no "tide marks".

Now dot the base onto your face. Use the sheerest one you can. Don’t use too much at first, you can always add more.

Blend really well. Some make up artists recommend a damp sponge, but fingers work just as well. Make sure you blend into the hairline, sides of face, around the nose and particularly the jaw line. Don’t just stop at the jaw, your face will look like a mask. Just blend away to nothing before your throat, that way you won’t get make-up stains on your collar.

Powder is optional but I like to use it as it "sets" your make-up and absorbs excess oil. Press the powder onto your face with a puff or you may prefer to use a powder brush. After a couple of minutes brush the powder off using light downward strokes.

Next apply blusher. Brush this lightly on the apple of your cheeks and up towards the temples. Don’t put too much on your brush, you can always go over it again. If you are using a cream blusher, apply this before powder. Dot onto the apple of your cheeks and blend in up to the temples. Blend really well!

Now for my special tip. Place a cool damp (not wet) face washer over your face and press very gently. this will give the whole face a fresh look - Gorgeous!

Copyright 2005 Wendy Owen

Like to have better looking skin? http://www.holistic-facial-skin-care.com will give you detailed information on natural skin care. The author, Wendy Owen has had a lifetime interest in general and alternative health and beauty. Sign up for a free book "75 Beauty Tips" and other gifts!