Hands get the most display and show your age the most, so caring for them is care for your age. Knowing how to maintain your hands as you age is the best way to make sure they look their best and that you, in turn, look your youngest and best. As you enter your 20’s, your hands look young and healthy for the most part. These are your skin’s glory years as they are likely yours as well. This is the best time to start preventing the effects of aging, since you don’t yet have to worry about treating the effects that are already there. Premature aging is most often caused by exposure to the sun.  Your 20’s is the best time to begin protecting your hands. At least twice a day, use a moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15. If you are going to be outdoors in the sun for long periods of time, apply a sunscreen with a UVA blocking agent in it. UVA rays are what cause brown spots and wrinkles. About once a week, exfoliate the skin on your hands by using a facial scrub. Removing old dead skin will help the daily moisturizer you are applying to penetrate deeper into your skin. Finally, apply an over the counter lightening skin ream nightly to your hands. This will fade minor brown spots and discoloration that may already be infiltrating the skin on your hands. Beware, though, if you are not using your sunscreen, the spots will reappear. As you enter your 30’s, your estrogen levels will begin to drop. This drop will cause more dryness in your hands than you experienced in your 20’s. In addition, this is the time when the first signs of photo aging may occur (loss of tone in your skin or blotchiness). There are still steps you can take. Each morning, when you get up, apply a moisturizing cream with a sloughing agent (lactic acid, glycolic acid, or salicylic acid). This will help to keep dead cells from accumulating on your skin’s surface. After you moisturize you will need to layer on the sunscreen. Again, the sunscreen should have an SPC of at least 15 and contain either transparent zinc oxide or Parasol 1789. You will also tend to lose moisture during the night. To prevent this, apply an emollient serum to the backs of your hands about a half an hour before you go to bed. Lastly, to fade out any brown spots that have begun to show, apply a prescription bleaching cream (see your dermatologist) in the morning and then some sort of vitamin A derivative in the evening. As you reach your 40’s you skin will begin to thin out, which is a normal part of aging due to a loss of collagen in the skin. You will begin to notice more veins, wrinkles, and sun spots on your hands (if any of them look strange or change shape or color, see a dermatologist). In your 40’s you will want to change to a hand cream that contains whey protein, which has been shown to help the production of collagen. Also as always, don’t forget to put on a layer of UVA/UVB blocking sunscreen. In an effort to help produce collagen as you sleep, apply a nonprescription retinol cream or Renovo. If serious wrinkles and spots continue to appear on your hands, you may have to resort to in-office dermatological procedures. Consult your doctor before making any decision about serious treatments. Many of these procedures can help reverse some of the effects of aging that all the measures discussed simply cannot prevent. It is your face that probably gets noticed first, but your hands get the most exposure: the most exposure to people, the sun and the elements. Because of that exposure, your hands are what is going to display your age. By taking proper care of your hands you will be able to look your best, and maybe even look younger than you thought you could. So take care of your hands, no matter what your age, and enjoy the benefits.

We Stuff our feet into chic shoes, dog them around, stub their toes, ignore their nails and demand that they carry you around all day. No wonder they look a little lousy for the wear. Fortunately, there are plenty of simple, cheap tricks you can use to have your feet looking and feeling their best in no time at all. With so many elements of everyday living that are absolutely torturous for your feet. Standing all day, too-small shoes, stuffy boots, and exposing them to the locker room floor at your local gym are examples of scenarios to which most women can relate. Feet are often taken for granted until they start to hurt and reject the burdens you place on them, so think of taking care of your feet now as an investment against problems in the future. If you’ve ever had a professional pedicure, you know how amazing it feels to have your feet taken care of: soaking, exfoliation, moisturizing and maybe even massage. The best part is you can recreate this experience at home with only a small investment of time, money, and resources. Begin by removing any old nail polish with a remover-soaked cotton swab and then soaking your feet in a tub of relaxing, hot water. Toss in some bath or Epsom salts to increase the pleasant feeling. If you have a home foot bath with bubbles or jets, that’s even better. Soak for at least five to ten minutes; the heat will promote blood circulation in your feet and soften your skin and you can use the time to read, watch television or just lean back and relax. When you’re done soaking, use a small brush to buff one foot at a time, removing dead skin and softening your feet. Let each foot go back into the water after you’ve finished brushing. Use a dollop of foot scrub lotion (available at any department or drug store) to further soften any rough spots like your heels or the sides of your toes. When you’ve massaged the lotion into your feet, take a pumice stone to finish off any lingering rough skin. This is a great tool(
love mines), so take your time and rinse your feet when you’re done. Do you feel it? There’s more. Remove your feet from the water and dry them with a soft towel. Rub your feet with some of your favorite lotion. A peppermint lotion may be particularly soothing and relaxing, especially if you have willing partner to handle this step for you. Either way, it feels marvelous. After you’ve finished massaging your feet, it’s time to add a little style. Trim and shape your nails with clippers and a file, and then use a cuticle stick to gently push back your cuticles. If you have a cuticle trimmer, you may want to scale away excess cuticle skin, although it’s imperative to do this carefully to avoid damaging the cuticle. Once your cuticles are under control, you will want to even out the surface of your nail by applying a clear or opaque base coat. This will help hide any ridges or lumpy areas that might show up if you applied nail color directly to the affected area. When the base coat is dry, add a coat of your favorite nail color. Choose something soft and light for a conservative look or something bold and daring for more flair. Whatever your choice, it’s a good idea to apply several coats to improve the durability of your finish. Clean up any messy areas as you go, using a small cloth or cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover to dissolve stains that may have been deposited around the edges of your toe nail. An additional coat of clear sealer will prevent chips and scuff marks from harming your pedicure masterpiece. That’s it! Know strap on a pair of open-toe sandals or pad around the house in your bare, and extremely fashionable, flattering feet. Looking pretty is one element of great feet. The other part is keeping your feet healthy. Wear supportive, well-fitted shoes, wash and dry your feet carefully to avoid fungal and bacterial problems, and mention any significant problems, such as cuts and scrapes on your feet not healing well as that could indicate a more serious problem such as diabetes. Good Luck!
 

A lot of people assume that the secret to having strong, healthy nails is the way you care for them. Millions of women spend money on manicures and pedicures each week in an effort to keep their nails looking healthy and beautiful. In fact, the true secrets to healthy nails begins way before you set foot in the salon. The first step to having healthy, strong nails has to do with nutrition. Some people are surprised to find out that what you eat has a major impact on the way your nails grow. The biggest nutritional tip for healthy nails is to get plenty of vitamins. Vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B12 all have an effect on your finger and toe nails.
Vitamin A works to keep your nails strong. If you do not have a large enough intake of vitamin A as well as calcium, you could find that your nails become dry and/or brittle. Brittle nails often break much more frequently and easily than stronger nails.
Vitamin C can work to prevent those annoying and sometimes painful hang nails. Protein and frolic acid work with vitamin C to keep your nails healthy and void of any hang nail problems.
Protein also keeps your nails healthy in other ways. You may have noticed random white bands across your fingernails at one time or another. These are often caused by protein deficiency and making sure your intake of protein is standard can help keep your nails looking clear and healthy.
Zinc also prevents white spots from appearing on your nails as well. Vitamin B12 assists in keeping your nails from becoming dried out, much like vitamin A. Without vitamin B12 nails often also become darker and the ends often curve. Sufficient amounts of vitamin B12 can keep your nails growing healthy and remaining naturally colored and clear.
Another nutritional tip for healthy nails is keeping up your intake of hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid prevents nails from splitting and breaking. Keeping your nails strong is vital in the quest for healthy nails.
Even if you were previously aware of the affects nutrition can have on your nails, you will surely be surprised at how much of a difference a proper diet can make in the life of your nails. It is recommended that people consume a diet composed of fifty percent fruits and vegetables. This large portion of fruits and vegetables provides the large quantity of vitamins that keeps nails healthy but also helps in a variety of other ways to keep your entire body healthy and working right.
Dieticians will recommend that people drink at least eight glasses of water a day. It is extremely important that people remain hydrated and keep their intake of liquids high. Although water is the best for keeping everything from vitamins to toxins moving through the body correctly, almost any liquids are appropriate for keeping the human body hydrated. Fruit and vegetable juices are often good for healthy nails as well. In fact, carrot juice is thought to be the best liquid for keeping your nails healthy and strong. The high levels of calcium and phosphorus in carrot juice keep nails especially strong. There are a number of common problems that occur for many people in terms of their nails. Nutrition can often help in curing most of these problems. Discoloring is one common complaint that occurs in a number of people. In some cases these people have conditions such as anemia that may cause this as a symptom. In other cases discoloration can be attributed to heavy smoking. Dry nails are another often complaint of people. Dryness causes nails to break easily which can be a bothersome. Diet can have a huge impact on dry nails and should be considered for people who complain of dryness in their fingernails.
Hang nails and white spots on the nails are other complaints many people have that also can be attempted to be reversed through proper diet. If you have problems with any of these conditions consider changing your diet around, even if you make small changes. Eating right can have a huge impact on your nails. However, a proper diet can have positive aspects on almost every area of your life. In addition to keeping your nails strong and healthy, a proper diet can make your entire body feel healthy, rejuvenated and strong.

Summer time means dragging out your bathing suit and showing some skin. It also means it’s time to concentrate, more on your bikini area when you shave. The bikini area is the most sensitive area when it comes to shaving. Some people prefer to get the area waxed, however most women would rather take care of it with shaving. Although it may seem easy to maintain your bikini area, there is nothing worse than getting bikini burn from shaving. Most of the time bikini burn occurs when important shaving steps are skipped. To get a smooth and pain free shave, try these great tips when shaving your bikini area. Preparing your skin for shaving is one of the most precious things you can do for your skin. If you prefer to shave in the mornings, try lathering the bikini area with a deep moisturizing lotion the night before. This will help soften the hairs while you sleep. When you wake up in the morning, the hairs will be much easier to shave. Once you get into the shower or bath, don’t let shaving be the first task on your list. Go ahead and wash your body and hair before picking up the razor. If you allow the bikini area hair to soften with the water and heat, then you will get better results. If you are in a hurry and can’t wait to shave, consider putting hair conditioner on the area for at least two minutes before you begin shaving. This will give the area a bit of moisture. Choosing the proper razor is the key to a good shave. Some women prefer the do-it-yourself method as opposed to an electric razor for the area. It is also a good idea to go over the area with trimmers if it has been a while since you shaved the area. This will allow you to get a smoother shave. Make sure your razor is clean and sharp. You will most likely get bikini burn if you shave with a dull razor. Razor companies are now making small disposable razors made specifically for the bikini area, so pick up a few to try out. When you are ready to shave, make sure you have a shaving agent on hand. Don’t use soap when shaving your bikini area, as it will dry the area out and leave you with a rash. Try using sensitive skin shaving gel or cream for bikini area shaving. If you are curious about which type to get, try using your man’s cream. It contains basically the same ingredients a female shaving cream would contain, although it may offer a manly scent. Female versions tend to offer a clean scent, while many male shaving creams offer a musk scent. There are also specific products you can use for the bikini area. They specify their specific use on the bottle and are made for sensitive areas. These sensitive shaving agents are a perfect way to prevent bikini burn. What you do to your skin after shaving your bikini area is extremely important. Immediately after getting out of the shower or bath, you must moisturize the area. If you have sensitive skin, try an unscented lotion. You can also use baby powder or baby oil if you tend to break out from using lotions on shaved areas. Try not to go into a pool or the ocean for a few hours after you shave. This will allow the area to heal before you expose it to salty water or chemicals. If you must go in the water, be sure to moisturize after you get out. If you already have bikini burn then you know how annoying it can get. There is not much you can do for bikini burn. You really must simply let it heal on its own. Do not shave the area however until the rash is gone. You can also buy over-the-counter chafing lotions that will help heal the area. Wear loose clothing and avoid the ocean or pool until it heals. If you shave your bikini area everyday, the area will become less sensitive to the shaving process and you will be less likely to get bikini burn. Don’t ever shave more than once a day, but try to shave at least every other day. You can skip shaving your bikini area in the winter months if you like, but be sure to start back again before bathing suit weather so you can get any initial irritation out of the way.
 

Shaving is one task that most women hate to tackle. It is something that takes a considerable amount of time and with today’s woman being as busy as ever, there is simply not enough time in the day! Even though it is bothersome, there are few women who can comfortably live with hairy legs, at least for more than a week or two. Therefore, we need to find out what can be done to not make shaving our legs not as bothersome. Whew! Although some women never think twice about how far to shave, there are many women who are in constant wonder about whether they should shave more than an inch above their knees. Most young women rarely worry about shaving above their knees unless they have dark hair growth. Adult women however rarely leave any part of their leg unshaved.
It is a personal preference. If you are comfortable leaving your upper leg a bit fuzzy, then by all means,do so. Once you do begin shaving the upper area however, you may find that you are only comfortable when your entire leg is hair-free. Many women determine how much of their legs they shave by the weather, I do and don’t really no why. If they are planning on wearing a short skirt, bathing suit, or shorts, they will shave their entire leg. However, in the winter season they may forgo shaving altogether. Single women who date are much more likely to shave their entire legs everyday. Married women are more likely to skip a day or only shave the parts of their legs that are visible to the general public. After deciding exactly what you are going to shave and what you will leave for later, there are a few things that you should do to make sure shaving is a comfortable experience. The most important thing you can do is to use a fresh razor. Razors can be used more than once, obviously, however you should certainly change your razor at least once a week. Disposable razors are different and should be tossed daily. With a fresh razor in hand, you should lather up with a good shaving agent. You can use a shaving gel, cream, or lotion. Try the female versions of shaving products, as they are usually a bit more sensitive. However, in a pinch, you can certainly reach for your man’s cream. Another great item to use to help you in shaving is hair conditioner. It works just like shaving lotion and can help moisturize your legs during and after you shave. Try not to use soap as this will only dry out your legs and makes shaving uncomfortable. Even though you are likely rushed to get in and out of the shower, be sure to take your time when you shave. The more time and effort you take, the better your shave will be. You will have a smoother shave with less nicks and rashes if you shave slowly. So slow it down. Saving your shaving routine for last when in the shower is also a good idea. By allowing your hair to soften from washing and the heat of the water, you will find shaving to be more soothing than nerve-racking. What you do to your legs after leaving the shower is almost as important as what you do when you are in the shower. Never leave shaved legs dry and without moisture. Most women can lather on body lotion right after shaving, but some may find this irritating to their legs. If you find yourself in an irritating situation, consider skipping your shaving routine for a few days. After your irritation heals, try using baby oil right on your legs after shaving. Just about everyone can use this without irritation. It is a bit messier, but it will provide everything you need for a comfortable shave. Getting a clean and non-irritating leg shave can mean putting a little more effort into the routine then you may expect. However, these tips are not so time consuming that you will notice a big difference in your morning schedule. They are mostly things that you can start making habits, which will ultimately take no more time for you to accomplish than your normal routine.