Get Bikini Beautiful By Zapping Ingrown Hairs

If you've never had an ingrown hair, congratulations! You are one of few.

And since it is bikini time, you'll want to zap those nasty ingrowns before you slip into your sexy swimsuit.

Ingrown hairs mainly come about through shaving. And since shaving is the quickest and cheapest way to remove hair, these little red and sometimes painful razor bumps are common to both men and women.

By the way, did you know that people with curly hair tend to have more ingrown hairs than do those with straight hair?!

An ingrown hair forms when a shaved hair gets trapped inside the follicle or where the hair curls back or grows sideways into the skin. And when it happens near the bikini line, it can be quite uncomfortable.

There is a simple and effective way to fight back----Bikini Bump Blaster by Completely Bare ($32, 60 pads, http://www.completelybare.com/). You can also find the Completely Bare line at many spas and salons.

Just wipe and go!

Bikini Bump Blaster Pads prevent and get rid of ingrown hairs. So-easy-to-use pads keep 'just waxed' skin super smooth. The magic ingredient is Glycolic acid, which clears away the dead skin cells that clog pores and hair follicles that cause ingrowns. Toss in some salicylic acid, which blocks bacteria buildup by reducing sebum production in pores. And zap those nasty ingrown hairs!

Meantime, here's some advice from Mayo Clinic Dermatologist Lawrence E. Gibson:

Shave hair a little longer than you normally do
Avoid repeated razor strokes over the same area
Shave in the direction of hair growth
Use a moisturizer to soften the hair and make shaving easier

Organize Your Jewelry In Beautiful Jewelry Boxes

Let's be honest. Have you ever stored your jewelry all over your bedroom? In ashtrays? On the dresser? In the drawers? On the nightstand? In a closet? Etc.

Well, you are not alone. Sure, some gorgeous rings, chandelier earrings, and ornate gold bracelets might look pretty on display, but only if you carefully arrange them on pretty trays or crystal bowls. You get the idea.

We think the best way to look after your precious jewelry, is by simply buying a beautiful jewelry box.

You can go high-end or low-end. Trust us, there are some stunning jewelry boxes to be found. Take a look at the asian wooden jewelry box. This little antique is at a starting bid of $29.99 on Ebay.

There are tons of jewelry boxes on Ebay in so many styles and sizes. We have purchased a few there and these boxes are really attractive and so useful.

You can also buy jewelry boxes new with lined compartments to gently store your delicate and more expensive gems. Take a look at the lovely lacquered jewelry boxes by http://www.westelm.com/. This beauty features metal hardware and velvet lining. On sale now for $59.99.

Really examine all your precious pieces. And then organize your jewelry.

Separate the broken ones from the perfect ones. And do your jewelry maintenance. Learn how to clean your gems.

Read our article on keeping jewelry shiny and new on a budget.

There you will learn the different ways of keeping gold, silver, platinum, pearls, and other jewelry in tip-top shape, and nice and sparkly!http://www.beautytiptoday.com/2008/11/today-were-talking-about-jewelry.html

McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait Healthy Choice at 160 Calories

We know you crave the chocolate triple thick shake, but if you're trying, and we mean really trying to stay healthy, then this quick snack will satisfy your hunger and your wallet:

McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait. 160 Calories. Only a buck on the dollar menu!

And what's not to love? Blueberries and strawberries sitting in cool, creamy low fat yogurt with crunchy granola.

Healthy for the whole family. And it's made of good stuff, according to McDonald's:

McDonald’s works with the top dairy suppliers in the industry, such as Dannon® and General Mills®, to supply the low fat vanilla yogurt found in the Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait. Our yogurt uses only Grade A low fat milk, plus live active yogurt cultures.

And the 160 Calories in the Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait are not difficult to burn off. We did some research and found this nugget at the livestrong.com website:

You could burn off the 160 calories from this Fruit N Yogurt Parfait in a variety of ways: Stroller - pushing baby stroller for 59 minutes
Studying - sitting for 82 minutes
Lawn Care - raking for 34 minutes

We like the idea of burning off this snack by er, studying-sitting for 82 minutes, ha ha.

Here's the nutritional breakdown for this McDonald's healthy choice:

Nutrition FactsServing Size: 5.3 oz (149g)
Amount per Serving
Calories 160
Calories from Fat 20
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 2g
3%
Saturated Fat 1g
5%
Cholesterol 5mg
2%
Sodium 85mg
4%
Total Carbohydrate 30g
10%
Dietary Fiber 1g
4%
Sugars 21g
Protein 4g
8%
Vitamin A
0%
Vitamin C
20%
Calcium
15%
Iron
4%
Est. Percent of Calories from:
Fat 11.2% Carbs 75.0%
Protein 10.0%

Hey, for only $1 and 2 total fat grams, this is a dieter's dream.

Celebs Love Dr. Siegal's Yummy Weight Loss Cookies

Love cookies?

How about yummy cookies in blueberry, oatmeal raisin, chocolate, and even banana!!

Now what if we told you, these cookies are high protein and low fat. And that these 'magic' cookies are actually weight loss cookies?!

Wow! What a yummy way to go.

Pretty celebs like Jennie Garth and Shannon Doherty from 90210 fame, both enjoy munching on Dr. Siegal's treats from the Cookie Diet Store in Beverly Hills. This is how these lovely ladies stay slender. The two were spotted buying cookies together at the Beverly Hills store.

And you can munch your way to skinny, too. A weekly supply of Dr. Siegal's cookies will run you about $59.

So how does piggin' out on yummy cookies work? We took a look at Dr. Sanford Siegal's website:

Dr. Siegal’s COOKIE DIET® is a proven, three-step plan that has helped more than a half million people lose weight since 1975. It’s a safe, fast, and affordable approach to weight loss and weight maintenance. To help you succeed, Dr. Siegal personally developed a suite of free, web-based calculators that eliminate the uncertainty of results inherent in nearly all diets. Dr. Siegal’s tools will help you set and reach an attainable goal weight.

During the weight loss phase, with your family doctor’s blessing, you’ll eat Dr. Siegal’s COOKIE DIET® hunger-controlling cookies and shakes during the day and a reasonable dinner at night. It’s that simple.

The Dr. Siegal’s COOKIE DIET® suggested daily caloric intake is 1,000 calories but your doctor may raise or lower the amount based on your medical history. (Always follow your doctor’s instructions). On 1,000 calories a day (or even 1,200), everybody loses weight. Therefore, your success is guaranteed if you follow the plan.

This might be a bit pricey, but it sounds like a delicious way to lose weight. For more information, visit: http://www.cookiediet.com/.

Luster: One Hour At-Home Tooth Whitening System

Who doesn't want a whiter, brighter smile?

And who wants to mess with goopy gels and trays, over and over again?

Not us. We have found a new at-home tooth whitening system called Luster. And for $39.99, you can effectively whiten your teeth up to 6 shades lighter. All in just one hour.

We haven't tried this yet, because we happened to get Zoom whitening treatments in the dentist's chair last fall. And we are happy with our current smile.

But if we could go another 6 shades lighter, we would try Luster, because it's developed from the same Zoom concept of a light-activated whitening system.

Here's how the simple 3-step Luster kit works:

1. Use accelerator mouth rinse for 10 seconds.
2. Brush on super whitening gel.
3. Shine super whitening light on teeth.
After 2 minutes the light automatically shuts off. Repeat process until desired whitening results, up to 20 times. Some people are done in 30 minutes, others use the full hour.

Luster 1 Hour White, Tooth Whitening Light System also promises zero sensitivity. And trust us, that is a key factor for many people who want to whiten and brighten their smiles. No one likes extreme pain in their mouths.

This tooth whitening kit works, because it involves light activation technology. Here's what the website says:

Luster's patented whitening light speeds up the process. It’s just like what’s used at dentist offices, but is safe enough for home use.

On average, Luster 1-Hour White gets teeth 5 shades lighter, though many people see their smiles whiten up by 6 shades. That’s like turning the clock back years, even decades.

You can buy Luster at your local drugstore, and at www.LusterWhitenUp.com. And there's a $5 off coupon code to enter at check-out online.

If you really don't want to get professional whitening from the dentist, but would like something stronger than dental whitening strips or whitening gels, why not give this one a try?

Two Fine Facial Sunscreens That Won't Clog Pores

Maybe you didn't know this---but not every sunscreen is meant to be used on both your body and face.

Most of us are guilty of swiping a gob of sunscreen everywhere we're exposing skin. Next thing you know, your face is full of pimples the next day.

Today, we will show you one sunscreen made just for the face. And another sunscreen that is labeled for both the face and body.

Let's be honest here....the skin on your face and the skin on your body have different needs.

The face can pose a range of issues---very oily, occasional breakouts, sensitive eye area, and a tendency to show wrinkles quicker.

And you don't want a very thick cream covering your face, but you do need the strong protection from the sun.

Try this one: Clinique City Block Sheer SPF 25 ($18, 1.4 oz, fine dept. stores, and http://www.clinique.com/). We think this is a super facial sunscreen. It's oil-free and combines blockers with anti-oxidants. And it's nice and sheer with high-level broad-spectrum UVA/UVB daily sun protection.

"Lightweight formula helps wick away perspiration, absorb excess oil so makeup looks fresher, longer. Perfect alone, or as an invisible under-makeup primer. No chemical sunscreens. Appropriate for eye-area, sensitive skins."

And Allure magazine gave Clinique City Block Sheer the big thumbs up in their Best of Beauty 2007 award.

If you prefer to use just one sunscreen for the body and face, we've got you covered. La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 40 ($30, 3.4 0z, http://www.anthelios.com/, or beauty sites like http://www.skincarerx.com/) makes a powerful yet sheer formula that tackles all the problems that come with the fun of lying in the sun. Plus, it won't clog your pores.

This 'high-tech' sunscreen contains an ingredient most others do not-----Mexoryl SX, an organic, photo-stable sun filter.

Mexoryl SX is unique because it does not break down in the sun, so your protection is that much stronger. Also present is Titanium Dioxide that blocks the damaging UVA and UVB rays.

And La-Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 40 makes the skin on both your face and body feel so soft and healthy, because the formula includes glycerin.

And we give this sunscreen the green light because it is suited for all skin types, especially mature and sensitive, and children, 6 months and older.

Livin' On A Budget With Style And NY&C Straw Clutch

How cute is this clutch?!

We fell in love with it after it appeared in the April 2009 issue of InStyle magazine.

New York & Company puts out this adorable City Style Straw Stone Detail Clutch (http://www.nyandcompany.com/).

And talk about 'livin' on a budget!' Back in April, the straw clutch was selling at the very inexpensive price of $19.95. It was a super bargain then.

And now, this bag is on sale for only $15.96! You can't beat it.

NY&C City Style Straw Stone Detail Clutch is roomy, too, with dimensions of 12-1/2 x 7 x 1-1/4 inches.

And the pretty, multi-colored stones, like turquoise and amber, add a rich touch to this straw clutch. The bag features a flap snap closure and side wrist strap. And an inside zip pocket with polyester lining throughout.

Straw bags are hot for summer 2009. And this one really keeps you 'livin' on a budget.'

Take a closer look at this straw clutch here-- http://tiny.cc/iKjJx